Lucknow, April 7 -- The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday claimed to have used 81% of the budgetary funds earmarked in the 2025-26 annual budget. The government also said its total revenue collections increased by about Rs.10,228.10 crore, going up from Rs.212,832.08 crore in 2024-25 to Rs.2,23,060 crore in 2025-26. "We have used nearly 81% of the state's original budget for 2025-2026," minister for finance Suresh Khanna said when asked about the state government's use of funds in 2025-26.Khanna said the state government used about Rs.6.51 lakh crore of the original annual budget, which was about Rs.8.08 lakh crore in 2025-2026. He said details of funds spent out of the supplementary budget of Rs.24,496.98 crore were still awaited. Those aware of the development said the final figures for the use of total budgetary funds may be around 78.20%. He said the state government has asked all the departments to work out their action plans for 2026-27 at the earliest to expedite development in the state. Khanna said the state government's total revenue realisation of Rs.2,23,060.18 crore in 2025-26 was 75.1% of the target set for the same period. He said these collections included tax revenue of Rs.2,18,639.14 crore, about 75.2% of the target for the same period. UP's total revenue realisation against the annual target was 79.1% in 2024-25. A scrutiny of the state government's earnings in 2025-26 shows that GST remained the highest earner with collections of Rs.82,547.40 crore, even after Next Gen GST reforms. However, the increase in GST collections was only marginal, as the state government had collected GST of Rs.82,535.14 crore in 2024-2025. Excise, which earned Rs.57,722 crore, was the second highest tax revenue earner for the state government. The state government's revenue collections in March 2026 were about Rs.1020.53 higher than the collections made in the same month in 2025. Khanna said the state government collected Rs.26,193.56 crore in March 2026 against Rs.25,173.03 collected in March 2025. He said barring VAT and excise, tax collections in March 2026 were up under every other head. He said the state government collected excise revenue of Rs.9269.44 crore in March 2026, compared to Rs.9,744.50 crore collected under the same head in March 2025, showing a decline of Rs.475.06 crore. He said similarly the state government collected VAT of Rs.4438.82 crore in March 2026 against earnings of Rs.4472.70 crore in the same month in 2025, showing a decline of Rs.33.88 crore....