Sharp drop in excise revenue for U.P.

The Uttar Pradesh government collected only 1.2% of its targeted revenue from the Excise department for the month of April due to the lockdown measures, according to a senior Minister.

The collection in the Stamp and Registration department was even lower, at just 0.9% of the target.

While the government had set a goal of ₹3,560 crore from the Excise department, it could collect only ₹41.96 crore, a mere 1.2%.

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The Hindu , U.P. Finance Minister Suresh Khanna said, in a statement, on Friday that only ₹15.60 crore out of the targeted ₹1,686 crore could be achieved in April in the Stamp and Registration department.

The State has witnessed a drop in both tax and non-tax revenues. Only ₹4,930 crore (29.4%) out of the target of ₹4,930 crore in GST collection could be met, while for VAT the figure was even lower, ₹401 crore (16.7% ) out of a target of ₹2,400 crore.

The Transport department recovered 12.8% (₹91.03 crore) of its targeted ₹713 crore while the Geology and Mining Department collected 15.1% (₹45.44 crore) of its targeted ₹300 crore.

Despite the “heavy drop” in the State’s revenue, the government has issued orders to pay full salaries to its 16 lakh employees and pensions to the 12 lakh pensioners for the month of April, said Mr. Khanna.

The government is also finding ways to cut down expenditure and has already slashed the pay of legislators by 30% and suspended their development funds for a year. “To make up for the deficit in the revenue collection, the State government is trying to raise additional resources,” said Mr. Khanna.