Even as the Delhi Government has initiated the process for preparation of the regular Budget for the current fiscal, it has revealed that the revenue-generating departments have collected Rs.1,401 crore in April, which is 4.4 per cent of the total tax revenue target of Rs.31,571 crore to be collected during the financial year 2014-15.
On the expenditure front, officials said, all departments of the Delhi Government have utilised Plan funds of Rs.294 crore in the first month of the current fiscal against the approved annual outlay of Rs.16,000 crore.
With a new government in place at the Centre, the Planning Department has started the process of preparing a regular Budget. On the last day of the 15 Lok Sabha in February, the Lok Sabha passed the Delhi Appropriation (Vote-on-Account) Bill, 2014, providing the Delhi Government money for spending under 13 different heads during the first two quarters of the current fiscal.
Out of the total expenditure of Rs.294 crore in April, officials said around Rs.191 crore was spent on various capital projects under the Education, Health, Road and Bridges Sector, etc. The amount is higher than the Rs.158 crore that was spent during the corresponding period last fiscal, officials said.
“The expenditure is generally on the lower side during the first few months of the financial year due to the planning and tendering process for new projects and schemes. The model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha polls slowed down things further,” a senior Delhi Government official said.
On the revenue side, officials said the collection has been on expected lines barring the Transport Department. The collection under VAT in April, 2014, was Rs.940 crore followed by Rs.228 crore under Stamps and Registration Fees and Rs.116 crore by State Excise. The Transport Department collected Rs.93 crore in April, 2014, for registration of new vehicles in Delhi.
