Delhi's tax collection falls, spending up in first two months of 2021-22

The Delhi government's tax collection has declined while its expenditure increased by around 80 per cent in the first two months of the current financial year, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Thursday.

The revenue receipts of Delhi have been Rs 5,273.26 crore during the first two months of the financial year 2021-22, while its expenditure has reached Rs 8,511.09 crore. Delhi has incurred Rs 3,237.83 crore more than its receipts which were met from last year's savings, Sisodia, who is also the Delhi finance minister, said.

He said the expenditure of the Delhi government has increased around 80 per cent during the first two months of the financial year 2021-22 as compared to the corresponding period of the previous financial year, due to COVID-19.

Previously, the expenditure in the first two months was Rs 4,705.14 crore in (2019-20) and Rs 4,965.58 crore in 2020-21. However, due to the unprecedented Covid surge, the expenditure during the first two months has jumped to Rs 8,511.09 crore in 2021-22, according to a government statement.

The tax collection has declined due to the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown, while the expenditure has increased in comparison with the previous years for implementation of various relief and other measures to check the spread of COVID-19, Sisodia said.

The Delhi government has issued an order on expenditure management and rationalisation of expenditure to keep the expenditure within the resources, in times of COVID-19 pandemic, the statement added.