The Punjab Excise and Taxation Department (PETD) is currently scrutinizing approximately 700 boutiques throughout Punjab due to their non-compliance with GST payments and the issuance of obligatory customer invoices.
Among these boutiques, there are 40 prominent establishments located in Patiala, Ludhiana, and other districts, each boasting annual turnovers in the lakhs, yet failing to adhere to the essential regulations mandated by the state government.
Some senior officers within the department revealed that, in response to directives from the Punjab government, they conducted an initial survey of boutiques scattered across various districts in Punjab.
During this evaluation, it became evident that a significant number of these establishments were disregarding the directives of the Punjab Government. Despite selling clothing items worth substantial amounts every month, they were neglecting to remit the mandatory taxes to the Excise and Taxation Department.
“One recent instance involved a boutique specializing in the sale of ‘lehengas’ and other women’s apparel, with an annual GST revenue running into lakhs of rupees. However, when we approached some female customers as they exited the store, not a single one possessed the required invoice. It was truly astonishing,” remarked a senior officer from the Excise and Taxation Department.
Upon visiting various boutiques in the city, some owners openly admitted that they did not maintain bill books, as their businesses operated from residential areas.
A significant portion of customers expressed reluctance to pay taxes and requested that GST invoices not be issued. An anonymous boutique owner posed the question, “Where does our responsibility lie in this scenario?”
Amid these developments, Harpal Singh Cheema, the Minister for Excise and Taxation in Punjab, emphasized their commitment to curbing tax evasion within the state. They have undertaken several initiatives, including the ‘Bill Liyao, Inaam Pao’ Scheme, where 227 lucky winners received prizes totalling Rs 13.39 lakh for uploading invoices on the Mera Bill App in September.
“Through our initial investigation, we have uncovered approximately 700 boutiques spread across the state that are suspected of engaging in GST evasion. We have initiated the process to take legal action against all individuals involved in such tax evasion,” Cheema declared.
The Finance Minister went on to explain that multiple teams of officers are diligently scrutinizing the sales conducted by these boutiques, as they have been found to neither remit the necessary taxes for clothing purchases nor embroidery services.
“The law will be enforced without exception,” the minister stated.
