New Delhi, Sep 22: Sixteen Indian states recorded a revenue surplus during the financial year 2022-23, with Uttar Pradesh topping the list with a surplus of ₹37,263 crore, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). Gujarat and Odisha followed closely behind.

The fiscal responsibility and consolidation guidelines set by the XV Finance Commission required states to achieve either a zero-revenue deficit or a revenue surplus during 2022-23. As of March 31, 2023, out of 28 states analyzed, 16 were in revenue surplus, while 12 states faced a revenue deficit.

Uttar Pradesh led with the highest surplus of ₹37,000 crore, followed by Gujarat (₹19,865 crore), Odisha (₹19,456 crore), Jharkhand (₹13,564 crore), Karnataka (₹13,496 crore), Chhattisgarh (₹8,592 crore), Telangana (₹5,944 crore), Uttarakhand (₹5,310 crore), Madhya Pradesh (₹4,091 crore), and Goa (₹2,399 crore).

Notably, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh—previously categorized among the economically weaker BIMARU states—were part of the revenue surplus group. Conversely, some industrially advanced states such as Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra recorded revenue deficits.

Among states with deficits, Andhra Pradesh had the largest shortfall of ₹43,488 crore, followed by Tamil Nadu (₹36,215 crore), Rajasthan (₹31,491 crore), West Bengal (₹27,295 crore), Punjab (₹26,045 crore), Haryana (₹17,212 crore), Assam (₹12,072 crore), Bihar (₹11,288 crore), Kerala (₹9,226 crore), Himachal Pradesh (₹6,336 crore), Maharashtra (₹1,936 crore), and Meghalaya (₹44 crore).