New Delhi: Delhi government has said VAT collection in the ongoing financial year has crossed Rs 20,000 crore, close to its revised target of Rs 21,000 crore.

The government in its first Budget had set Rs 24,000 crore as the target but later, on the grounds of unsteady collection, it was toned down to Rs 21,000 crore.

VAT Commissioner SS Yadav said total tax collection in the current financial year crossed Rs 20,000 crore mark on March 25 and that the amount was Rs 2,000 crore higher than last financial year’s collection. Around Rs 18,500 crore was collected as VAT in the financial year 2014-15. “It amounts to a growth of 11 per cent which is higher than the growth of only 2 per cent in the last financial year,” Yadav said. VAT is a major revenue source for the Delhi government. It accounts for more than two-thirds of its total revenue. Yadav said the growth in VAT collection has been possible due to several measures, including the widening of tax base with the addition of over 52,627 new registered dealers in the network. “Data sharing has been done with other state governments, including Uttar Pradesh. An effective check has been placed on entry of goods in Delhi through Delhi Sugam-2 form and Automatic Number Plate Reader Cameras at border points. “People also helped in identifying dealers who are doing business on cancelled or invalid registration numbers as well as those who are manipulating records to evade VAT through the Bill Banvao Inam Pao Scheme,” he said. Yadav said under the scheme over 50 dealers doing business on cancelled or invalid registration and about 100 dealers found manipulating records have been caught. — PTI