Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the state’s economy is improving quickly under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s leadership. He shared this while speaking at the 19th Foundation Day of LM Thapar School of Management (LMTSM).
Cheema said the government has worked hard over the last three years to improve Punjab’s economy. As a result, the state has seen growth in GDP, income, GST collection, and spending. He proudly said that Punjab is now among the top three states in India for tax compliance.
While speaking to students, Cheema said they are lucky to study at a respected institute like LMTSM. He also encouraged them to help improve the country and the state with new ideas. Cheema opened the new LMTSM-NSE Cojenic Finance Lab and said it will help students learn more about finance and economics.
He also shared his journey from being a lawyer to becoming the Finance Minister. He admitted that handling the state’s finances was tough at first but he overcame the challenges with hard work and honesty.
He said that under the Mann government, excise revenue has doubled from ₹6,152 crore to ₹12,000 crore. The state also received ₹63,000 crore in GST compensation cess in just three years, which is more than what was collected during 2017–2022.
Cheema added that the government has given over 55,000 merit-based government jobs, increased college admissions, and reduced the number of young people going abroad.
Before the event, Derabassi MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa welcomed the Finance Minister and praised his work. LMTSM Director Prof. D.P. Goyal and Thapar University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ajay Batish also spoke during the program. To mark the event, Cheema planted a sapling on the campus, showing the government’s commitment to the environment.
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