State faced with tight financial situation in new fiscal

Night curfew and subsequent lockdown have their impact

The State is faced with s tight financial situation right from the commencement of the current financial year, thanks to night curfew and subsequent lockdown clamped to contain the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Though the financial year started on an optimistic note with key revenue earning departments like Excise and Registration and Stamps departments showing signs of strong recovery, imposition of restrictions has hit the revenues adversely. The Registration and Stamps department, for instance, reported revenue of ₹717 crore during April from its earlier lows of around ₹400 crore a month. The imposition of the lockdown since May 12 led to closure of all activities on the registration front hitting the revenues totally. Imposition of night curfew since April 20, leading to closure of shops, establishments, hotels and other businesses before 8 pm, hit the revenues and this was followed by the lockdown from May 12, which will continue till May 30.