The Union Finance Ministry on Friday said that the gross Goods and Services Tax revenue collection in October was Rs 95,380 crore, 3.8% higher than the 19-month low of Rs 91,916 crore in September. However, this is the third consecutive month the revenue collection failed to cross the Rs 1 lakh-crore threshold.

The revenue collected in October was 5.3% lower than that in the same month last year.

Of the total collection in October, Rs 17,582 crore was central GST, Rs 23,674 crore was state GST, integrated GST was Rs 46,517 crore and Rs 7,607 crore was collected through cesses, the government said.

The number of GST returns filed in October also fell marginally since the previous month, data released by the finance ministry said. “The total number of GSTR 3B Returns filed for the month of September up to 31st October, 2019 is 73.83 lakh,” it said. The number of returns stood at 75.94 lakh in August and 75.80 lakh in July.

The Centre had constituted a committee of officers to suggest measures to raise Goods and Services Tax revenue collection on October 10. A six-point agenda listed in the order asked officials to suggest ways to carry out systemic changes in the tax system, including checks and balances to prevent misuse, and suggest measures to improve voluntary compliance and compliance monitoring to check evasion, expand tax base, better administrative coordination, and suggest relevant changes needed in the law.

Credit: Union Finance Ministry

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