Delhi Government’s VAT department on Saturday claimed that VAT collection in the ongoing financial year has crossed Rs20,000 crore, close to its revised target of Rs21,000 crore. The Government in its first Budget had set Rs24,000 crore as the target but later, on the grounds of unsteady collection, it was toned down to Rs21,000 crore. VAT Commissioner SS Yadav said total tax collection in the current financial year crossed Rs20,000 crore mark on March 25 and that the amount was Rs2,000 crore higher than last financial year’s collection. Around Rs18,500 crore was collected as VAT in the financial year 2014-15. “It amounts to a growth of 11 per cent which is higher than the growth of only 2 per cent in the last financial year,” Yadav said. VAT is a major revenue source for the Delhi government. It accounts for more than two-thirds of its total revenue. Yadav said the growth in VAT collection has been possible due to several measures, including the widening of tax base with the addition of over 52,627 new registered dealers in the network.