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GST mop-up rises 8.1% to ?1.83 trn in Feb on stronger import revenues

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 Gross GST collection increased by 8.1 per cent to over Rs 1.83 trillion in February, led by higher growth in revenues from imports and improved domestic sales.Gross domestic revenue rose 5.3 per cent to about Rs 1.36 trillion, while gross import revenue climbed 17.2 per cent to Rs 47,837 crore.Total refunds were up 10.2 per cent at Rs 22,595 crore.Total net Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection stood at over Rs 1.61 trillion, up 7.9 per cent year-on-year.Net cess revenue was Rs 5,063 crore, down from Rs 13,481 crore in February last year. GST rates on about 375 items were slashed, making goods cheaper, effective September 2025. Also, four tax slabs of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent were merged into two of 5 per cent and 18 per cent, with a highest 40 per cent slab for a select few ultra luxury goods and tobacco products.The GST collections had initially dipped in the first month of tax cut implementation, with revenues declining to Rs 1.70 trillion in November. The collection rose to Rs 1.74 trillion in December and further to Rs 1.93 trillion in January.Deloitte India Partner MS Mani said GST collection figures reflect the fact that there has been a consumption uptick that has more than compensated for the rate reductions.

However, the negative growth reported by major states such as Tamil Nadu ( -6%) , MP (-8%) , Rajasthan (-1%) , and the single digit growth below the national average of 8% reported by WB (1%) Haryana(2%) , UP(5%) , Maharashtra (6%) would be a matter of concern for the states and the policy makers, Mani said.EY India Tax Partner Saurabh Agarwal said this performance reaffirms the strength of India's consumption engine. As structural reforms continue to take hold, these trends highlight a maturing tax ecosystem and a confident domestic market, setting the stage for sustained and inclusive economic momentum.Price Waterhouse & Co LLP, Partner, Pratik Jain said the data indicates that GST has entered into a phase stable and predictable growth, which is encouraging to see.

AKM Global, Lead-Indirect Tax, Ikesh Nagpal said, "February 2026 GST collections are Rs 1.84 trillion, reflecting a seasonal moderation from January's record Rs 1.93 trillion, which had been boosted by the inclusion of October-December quarterly returns." Manoj Mishra, Partner and Tax Controversy Management Leader, Grant Thornton Bharat said With cumulative collections reaching Rs 20.27 trillion, up 8.3 per cent so far this year, the numbers indicate that GST revenues are holding firm even on a high base, reflecting structural stability rather than cyclical spikes.

 

-Business Standard 02nd March,2026

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