'Won't increase VAT on petrol and diesel BUT...': UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said that the Value Added Tax on petrol and diesel is the lowest in the state, adding that there will be no increase in the VAT in the near future as well. The Chief Minister reviewed the updated status of revenue collection in the state with the officials of the state Tax Department at his official residence.

Finance Minister Suresh Khanna was also present on the occasion. "Keeping in mind the larger public interest, we have not increased the rate of VAT or imposed any new tax in the state. Today the lowest VAT rate on petrol/diesel is in Uttar Pradesh. There will be no increase in VAT in the near future as well. Keeping this in mind, efforts should be made to increase the revenue collection according to the zone-wise potential," said Yogi.

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The Chief Minister took a report from all the zone commissioners regarding the registration status of traders in GST, VAT collection, and efforts being made to check tax evasion etc.

Reviewing the zone-wise target for revenue collection in the current financial year, he inquired about the efforts being made to achieve the target and gave necessary guidelines to increase the revenue collection according to the potential of different zones.

UP CM reviewed revenue collection in different zones

"There has been a steady increase in the revenue collection of the state due to planned efforts. The total revenue collection of the state was Rs 58,700 crore in the financial year 2017-18, which has increased to about Rs 1 lakh crore in the year 2021-22. The collection for the first quarter of the current financial year is Rs 32,386 crore against the target of Rs 31,786 crore. This can be called satisfactory," he said.

Uttar Pradesh: Tax collection target for current financial year is Rs 1.50 lakh cr

Yogi said that efforts should be made to meet the tax collection target of Rs 1.50 lakh crore for the financial year. "This is the amount collected from the public, which will be spent for the development of the state, for public welfare works. There is immense potential in the state. Concerted efforts should be made to achieve revenue in line with the GST and VAT collection target of Rs 1.50 lakh crore for the current financial year," he said.

The Chief Minister, while instructing the officials to give weekly targets to the field officers, said that he will conduct a monthly meeting to review the same. "Weekly target should be given to the field officers from the government level to increase the revenue collection. It should be reviewed weekly. A zone-wise report should be made on the raids conducted and the revenue collected. I will conduct the monthly meeting and review it zone-wise myself," he said.

"Create awareness among the traders, more and more traders should be registered in GST. Traders should be made aware of the benefits of GST registration/filing of returns. Organise seminars in small towns. There is still a lack of awareness in many areas like Gorakhpur and Basti divisions. For this, special efforts will have to be made by the field level officers," Yogi added.