Chandigarh, 22 March
Punjab’s excise revenue has soared from ₹6,254 crores in 2022-23 to over ₹10,200 crores in 2024-25, a historic leap credited to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government’s excise policies. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema proudly announced that the state is on track to exceed its ₹10,145 crore target for 2024-25, marking the first time Punjab’s excise revenue has hit five digits.
E-Tendering Triumph Fuels Future Growth
The Excise Department’s e-tendering for 2025-26 has been a massive success, with 179 of 207 retail liquor groups allotted, generating ₹8,681 crores plus an additional ₹871 crore premium—well above the ₹7,810 crore reserve price. Cheema is optimistic about smashing the ₹11,020 crore target for 2025-26, potentially hitting ₹11,800 crores, a 16% jump from the prior year.
Slamming Past Governments
Cheema didn’t mince words, blasting previous SAD-BJP and Congress regimes for their dismal track records. Under Congress from 2002 to 2007, excise revenue dropped 6.9%, sliding from ₹1,462 crores to ₹1,363 crores. The SAD-BJP tenure saw a flawed 2016-17 policy tank revenue from ₹4,796 crores to ₹4,400 crores, while the 2017-22 Congress stint stagnated at ₹6,200 crores by 2021-22 and was marred by a hooch tragedy that killed 128 people.
A Promise of Progress
Speaking at Punjab Bhawan in Chandigarh on March 22, Cheema hailed the revenue surge as proof of AAP’s transparent and effective policies. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, to boost state finances and uplift every Punjabi, ensuring this windfall benefits all.
