Yogi calls for tech use to curb GST evasion

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday directed officials to enhance transparency and adopt advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and data analytics in tax collection to curb evasion and strengthen revenue systems.

“Tax evasion is a national loss and will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” the CM said during a review of GST and VAT collection zone-wise. He asked officials to ensure strict and well planned actions to prevent tax fraud and promote a taxpayer-friendly, transparent system.

The state tax department collected ₹1.14 lakh crore in revenue in 2024-25, against a target of ₹1.75 lakh crore for the current fiscal. In April 2025 alone, ₹9,986 crore was collected, with zones like Gautam Buddh Nagar, Lucknow, Ayodhya, and others achieving over 60% of their monthly targets. Lucknow led with 71.66% target achievement.

However, the CM flagged underperformance in zones like Varanasi, Etawah, Gorakhpur, Agra, and Kanpur-II, and called for focused, results-oriented efforts. He also stressed the need for improvements in certain sectors of Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Saharanpur, and Jalaun.

Interacting with additional commissioners via video conferencing, Yogi sought updates on field-level challenges and urged sustained communication with traders. He asked officers to assist businesses in timely filing of returns and ensure accountability in regional collections.

He emphasized rapid adoption of IT tools to improve efficiency and transparency and directed the department to empower honest taxpayers with a reliable and user-friendly experience.