256 PSTC meetings held across Punjab to ensure structured dialogue with traders, says Harpal Singh Cheema
Bhagwant Mann Govt is strengthening transparent grievance redressal system for traders: Harpal Singh Cheema
Punjab Govt mandates strict SOP compliance, fixes accountability to resolve traders’ issues: Harpal Singh Cheema
State-wide review chaired by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to fast-track pending traders’ complaints & improve responsiveness
CHANDIGARH, 27th March 2026:
Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday chaired a state-wide high-level review of the Punjab State Traders Commission (PSTC), asserting that the Bhagwant Mann Government is moving decisively to deliver time-bound resolution of traders’ grievances through a strict, accountable and transparent system.
Reviewing 1,386 complaints and the progress of 256 meetings held across Punjab, the Finance Minister underlined that the government has institutionalised a structured dialogue with the trading community, enforced strict SOP compliance, and activated a three-tier PSTC framework to ensure real-time, ground-level redressal of issues while fixing clear administrative responsibility at every level.
The meeting centered on thoroughly reviewing the master list of complaints, marking a decisive step toward resolving pending cases and actively noting new concerns raised by the business community.
Underscoring the ground-level impact of this framework, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stated, “256 meetings have already been successfully conducted across the state. The primary objective of this structure is to facilitate a regular, structured, and mutually beneficial dialogue between the state administration and the trading fraternity. By reinforcing this formal system, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government aims to provide a highly transparent and responsive platform for traders to voice their concerns.”
Furthermore, the meeting underscored the necessity of fixing clear administrative responsibilities at the district and sub-divisional levels for the proper management, documentation, and resolution of these issues. Officials have been directed to ensure that all meeting records, photographs, and grievance resolutions are promptly uploaded onto the official government portal for public accountability.
During the meeting, the Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema emphasised the critical role of the PSTC’s robust three-tier framework, which operates actively across the State, District, and Vidhan Sabha Constituency levels
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, who is also Chairman of the PSTC, was accompanied by Excise and Taxation Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal. All Deputy Commissioners, Commissioners Police, Muncipal Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police joined the high-level virtual meeting, conducted through video conferencing from Punjab Bhawan in Chandigarh. They were accompanied by the Chairperson and Members of the Punjab State Traders Commission, as well as the respective Chairmen of the District and Vidhan Sabha Constituency Traders Commissions, all of whom participated directly from their local Deputy Commissioner offices to guarantee the immediate, ground-level implementation of the government’s directives.
