Six years of GST: Raking in at least Rs 1.5 trn every month is new normal

Data exchange, reduced costs of business also help increase direct tax collection

Seen as a shining example of cooperative federalism aimed at taking the country towards a one-nation, one-tax, and one-market regime by replacing a bewildering array of local sales and entry levies, the goods and services tax (GST) six years on is pulling in a revenue of no less than Rs 1.5 trillion every month to the exchequer. This seems to be the new normal, weighed up against a lower Rs 1 trillion on average in the first 20 months of its inception (July 1, 2017).

This is regardless of key segments of the economy, such as petroleum, alcohol, a part of