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No VAT hike on diesel, petrol in near future: UP CM
Revenue earning in first quarter of current financial year is ₹32,386 crore against the target of ₹31,786 crore. Though the situation is satisfactory, there is potential for further increase in collections, says Yogi
LUCKNOW Asserting that the rate of VAT on petrol and diesel would not be raised in Uttar Pradesh in near future despite the same being one of the lowest in the country, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday asked officials to collect ₹1.50 lakh crore revenue during the current financial year by identifying zone-wise potential areas.
“The state’s tax collection rose from ₹58,700 crore in 2017-18 to ₹1 lakh crore in 2021-22,” he said while holding a meeting with state tax department officials in presence of finance minister Suresh Khanna at his official residence.
“The revenue earning in the first quarter of the current financial year is ₹32,386 crore against the target of ₹31,786 crore. Though the situation is satisfactory, there is still immense potential to further increase collection,” the CM said.
Asking officials to launch a drive against GST evasion, he suggested that field officials be given weekly targets, which should be reviewed for desired results. “I will hold monthly zone-wise meetings to review progress of raids and tax collection,” he said. The CM, however, cautioned officials against harassment of traders in the name of checking and raids.
Stating that the number of registered traders in UP had gone up to more than 26 lakh due to the department’s sustained attempts, Adityanath asked officials to try and take this number to 30 lakh in the next six months.
He said GST was a consumption-based tax, which meant that collections went up with the rise in per capita income of people. “There is, therefore, a need for planned efforts to drive up consumption in the state that has a favourable climate for the same,” emphasised the CM.
