India, March 23 -- justify;">Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Sunday said the state government has recovered Rs.111.16 crore under the One-Time Settlement (OTS) scheme for VAT arrears, highlighting what he described as growing trust among businesspersons in the government's tax policies.

According to the minister, the scheme has received 7,845 applications so far, covering pending dues of approximately Rs.298.39 crore. He said the highest participation has come from key commercial districts including Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala and Ropar.

Cheema said the scheme aims to provide relief to traders by allowing them to settle legacy VAT dues with waivers on penalties and interest, while also helping the state improve...