Jalandhar Cantt-Former Punjab minister and MLA Pargat Singh has challenged the state government’s assertion that its revenue has risen from ₹37,000 crore to ₹57,000 crore over the past five years. He argued that the projected increase, being presented as a major achievement, may, in reality, be the natural outcome of inflation rather than improved governance.
In a statement shared on social media, Pargat Singh noted that with India’s inflation rate averaging around 7% annually, government revenues tend to rise automatically even without significant policy changes. He explained that if the previous revenue base of ₹37,000 crore were simply adjusted for inflation, it would naturally grow to approximately ₹48,000 crore over five years.
Singh suggested that the government’s claim of an ₹18,000 crore increase may therefore be overstated, as a substantial portion of the rise could be attributed to inflation rather than administrative efficiency or economic expansion.
His remarks add to the ongoing debate over Punjab’s fiscal health, where concerns about rising debt, limited industrial growth, and stagnant revenue sources continue to dominate public discourse.
Economists have long warned that Punjab’s financial challenges require structural reforms rather than reliance on inflation-driven revenue growth. Singh’s comments revive the conversation around transparency in fiscal reporting and the need for long-term strategies to strengthen the state’s economic foundation.