Lucknow, Oct 5 (PTI) Emphasising that field postings in the state tax department will be based solely on performance, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday directed that only officers with a clean image and commitment to achieving targets be assigned the role.

Adityanath reviewed the tax department's revenue performance and interacted directly with zonal officers via video conference during the day, the UP government said in a statement.

Officials informed the chief minister that by September of fiscal year 2025-26, the state tax department had collected a total of Rs 55,000 crore, including Rs 40,000 crore from GST and Rs 15,000 crore from VAT/non-GST sources.

During the same period last year, the collection stood at Rs 55,136.29 crore.

For the current fiscal year, the department has been assigned a target of Rs 1.75 lakh crore, which is approximately Rs 18,700 crore higher than the previous year's target of Rs 1,56,982 crore.

Adityanath emphasised that Uttar Pradesh should become a leading contributor to national GST collections through well-planned efforts.

After recent reforms in GST, the market has shown a positive momentum, with effects expected to become more visible in the coming months, he said.

He also directed officials to refrain from unnecessary inspections or raids during Dhanteras and Diwali, emphasising that traders and entrepreneurs should not face any harassment.

During the review meeting, it was reported that zones like Bareilly (64.2 per cent), Saharanpur (63.7 per cent), Meerut (63 per cent), Gorakhpur (62.5 per cent), and Jhansi (62.1 per cent) performed relatively better, while some zones achieved only 55-58 per cent of their targets, indicating scope for improvement.

Adityanath reviewed the performance of all zones, including Varanasi-I & II, Gorakhpur, Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Lucknow-I & II, Kanpur-I & II, Etawah, Jhansi, Agra, Aligarh, Moradabad, Meerut, Ghaziabad-I & II, Gautam Buddh Nagar, and Saharanpur, the statement said.

He directed zonal officers to explain the reasons for divisions with less than 50 per cent revenue collection and prepare immediate corrective action plans.

The CM expressed satisfaction that Bareilly, Jhansi, and Kanpur-I zones had no divisions with below-50 per cent collection. However, he ordered that accountability be fixed for zones showing unsatisfactory performance.

He underlined that revenue growth is the foundation of the state's economic progress. He called upon all officers to work with determination toward 100 per cent target achievement.

Adityanath urged senior officers to personally visit markets, conduct market mapping, meet traders, and understand their expectations.

Citing an example, he said that reducing mandi fees has both benefited farmers and increased revenue, proving that a transparent and simplified tax system always yields positive results.

He stressed on continuous engagement with the business community and directed that efforts be intensified to increase GST registrations and ensure timely return filing.

The meeting also reviewed progress in cases involving bogus firms and fake Input Tax Credit (ITC) claims. So far, investigations have identified Rs 873.48 crore in fraudulent ITC claims across 104 firms, with strict punitive action underway.

Adityanath stressed that transparency, accountability, and integrity must remain the core principles of revenue collection.

The CM instructed officials to review shortcomings immediately and implement corrective measures wherever required. He also placed special emphasis on recovering dues, preventing fake ITC claims, and ensuring speedy disposal of pending GST/VAT cases, the statement said.

Adityanath said taxpayer convenience and trust are the cornerstones of sustained revenue growth. He instructed officials to create a taxpayer-friendly environment and further strengthen the e-governance framework.

"Revenue growth is the driving force of the state's economy. The state tax department plays a crucial role in achieving the vision of a Viksit Uttar Pradesh and Viksit Bharat 2047. Every officer must ensure that every rupee collected contributes directly to the state's development," the chief minister said.

Adityanath concluded by directing officers to focus equally on accelerating revenue generation, ensuring transparency, and enhancing taxpayer ease and compliance, the statement said. PTI NAV SKY SKY

UP tax field postings set to be performance based; only officers with clean image and commitment will be assigned. Field postings in the Uttar Pradesh state tax department will be assigned on a strictly performance based basis, limited to officers with clean image and commitment to achieving revenue targets. Zonal officers must explain shortfalls, prepare corrective action plans for underperforming divisions, and be held accountable. Measures emphasise increasing GST registrations, preventing fraudulent Input Tax Credit claims, recovering dues, speeding disposal of pending GST/VAT cases, and strengthening e governance to enhance taxpayer convenience, with transparency and integrity as core principles.