New Delhi, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Thursday said the Delhi Government's tax collection has declined due to second wave of COVID-19 pandemic and 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.

He informed that the expenditure of 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 previous financial year.

Delhi Government issued an order on Expenditure Management and Rationalisation of Expenditure – COVID-19 outbreaks.

Mr Sisodia, who is also the Delhi Finance Minister, announced that this memorandum has been released to rationalise Government's expenditure and keep it within the resources, in times of COVID-19 pandemic, the Delhi government said in a statement.

He further stated that revenue receipts of Delhi has been Rs 5,273.26 crore during the first two months of the current financial year, 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.

Historically, during the first two months, the expenditure used to be Rs 4705.14 crore in FY – 2019-20

and Rs 4965.58 crore in FY – 2020-21, however, due to unprecedented COVID surge, the expenditure during the first two months has jumped to Rs 8511.09 crore in current FY.

The order has been issued to curtail the expenditure of the Government, beyond the expenditure for essential and day to day functions. Further, the various welfare schemes being run for the citizens of Delhi will remain unchanged.

(EW News Desk)