This story is from August 9, 2020

UP meets 98% revenue target in July despite Covid-19 crisis

Despite an unprecedented health crisis triggered by the Covid pandemic followed by prolonged lockdowns, Uttar Pradesh mopped up nearly 98% revenue target of July this year, compared to the same period in the last fiscal.
UP meets 98% revenue target in July despite Covid-19 crisis
CM Yogi Adityanath inspects Noida Covid Hospital after its inauguration
LUCKNOW: Despite an unprecedented health crisis triggered by the Covid pandemic followed by prolonged lockdowns, Uttar Pradesh mopped up nearly 98% revenue target of July this year, compared to the same period in the last fiscal.
Finance minister Suresh Khanna, who also holds medical education and parliamentary affairs portfolios, told reporters on Saturday that fiscal indicators point to a definite economic revival and no development project or welfare programme would be affected.

“UP is set to outpace other states in revenue collection and we are perhaps the only state which neither delayed or slashed salaries of employees,” said Khanna, while reiterating special allowances frozen by the finance department, had been declared redundant and outdated by the seventh pay commission.
Detailing the current status of revenue receipts, Khanna said, revenue collection in July in the last fiscal was Rs 10,926.36 crore while the state mopped up 10,675.42 crore in July this year, which aggregates 97.7% of last year’s collection.
“Recalling the mammoth revenue losses during the traumatic days of the pandemic that forced a total lockdown in April and May, he said, the fiscal health is gaining momentum under the leadership of the chief minister whose efforts delivered more than desired results,” said Khanna. “We are confident of crossing the revenue collections of last year,” he said.
He, however, admitted a fiscal deficit for July, but said it was not due to poor performance, but because of the pandemic and frequent lockdowns. “The target for July was Rs 15,632.72 crore, but we could achieve Rs 10675.4 crore. To bridge the deficit, the state could restructure and recalibrate targets, but the situation would be reviewed later,” said Khanna, who is the chairman of the chief minister- appointed financial restructuring committee.

When asked about the spurt in revenue realisation after the sagging mood in April and May, Khanna said, collections in mining and excise played a key role in the revenue uptick.
Additional chief secretary Sanjiv Mittal, who was also present at the press conference, said, the state received nearly Rs 800 crore of the central compensation from the GST head and was likely to get more.
Additional chief secretary, home, Avanish Awasthi, said, despite financial constraints over last few months, developmental projects have continued unhindered and UP Industrial Expressways Development Authority received over Rs 2,000 crore as main share for Poorvanchal Expressway.
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