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The finance ministry on Tuesday said advanced technologies like AI and data analytics are being used in GST registration and scrutiny to identify possible tax evasions, while easing regulatory requirements for compliant taxpayers. The number of taxpayers registered under Goods and Services Tax (GST) has increased from 66.5 lakh in 2017 to 1.65 crore as of May 2026, reflecting greater formalisation of the economy, according to the ministry. Also, gross GST collection, which stood at around Rs 7.4 lakh crore in 2017-18, has increased steadily over the years. In the last five years, collections rose from Rs 13.76 lakh crore in 2021-22 to Rs 22.27 lakh crore in 2025-26. In April-May this fiscal, GST collections have reached Rs 4.37 lakh crore. Introduced on July 1, 2017, GST replaced a complex system of 17 central and state taxes and 13 cesses with a unified indirect tax framework. The reform, rolled out after years of negotiations between the Centre and states, was aimed at creating a
Jio Financial Services Ltd (JFSL) on Monday said taxpayers can take assistance of JioFinance App for filing their returns as it has launched planning and filing module on its platform. Aimed at making tax planning and income tax return (ITR) filing simpler, smarter, and more affordable, the new feature has been developed in partnership with TaxBuddy, an online tax filing and advisory service, JFSL said in a statement. The tax filing feature allows users to either file returns themselves, or opt for expert-assisted filing, with plans starting as low as Rs 24 for self-service options, and Rs 999 for assisted options. The module includes two core features -- tax planner and tax filing, it said, adding that the tax filing feature is designed to address common challenges such as confusion between old and new tax regimes, helping customers save taxes by ensuring deductions under sections like 80C and 80D are not missed, and eliminating over-reliance on costly intermediaries. The tax plan
Online tax-filing platform ClearTax on Wednesday said it has partnered with Microsoft to develop a simplified solution that allows gig workers across India to file their taxes through WhatsApp. ClearTax has used Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service to develop a user-friendly solution that allows gig workers to file their taxes via WhatsApp, according to a statement. "The impact of this (initiative) has been swift and substantial. In just 5 weeks of launch, nearly 98,000 gig workers have been able to file their taxes with this new system. Moreover, all these individuals are set to receive several immediate economic benefits of this simplified scheme," the statement said. The Bengaluru-based firm plans to further extend this service to employers, enabling them to assist their blue-collar employees with tax filing and TDS refund claims, it added. "By making tax payment as easy as WhatsApp messaging, we're not just providing short-term relief -- we're expediting the long-term national object