Patna, Sep 18 (PTI) The Bihar Commercial Taxes Department has recorded a GST collection of Rs 15,463 crore between April 1 and August 31 this year, an increase of 8.4 per cent as compared to the same period last year, officials said.
Bihar Commercial Taxes Department Secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh said the department has fixed a target of collecting Rs 42,500 crore as GST.
"Before the introduction of Goods and Services Taxation (GST) regime, total taxes collected in Bihar in the year 2017-2018 was Rs 17,236 crore. In 2023-2024, the state collected was Rs 38,198 crore. In the current financial year (from April to August), the state has so far collected Rs 15,463 crore, an increase of 8.4 per cent as compared to the same period last year", Singh said Wednesday.
"The Commercial taxes department has witnessed a rise of 18 per cent in GST collection in the financial year 2023-24 as compared to 2022-23. Bihar is now on the list of top five states in collection of the GST. The growth marked an apparent effective economic policy of the state government," he added.
"An increase in the tax collection is mainly due to registration of more and more small traders under the GST regime," he said.
The Nitish Kumar government has also started imposing additional tax on online gaming in the state. "With the imposition of 28 per cent GST on online gaming in the state, the department has collected a substantial revenue", said the secretary without divulging the figure.
The additional tax on online gaming, race courses, and casinos has been in force in the state since October 1, 2023, following the Centre's notification in this regard in September last year.
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, in its 51st meeting on August 2, 2023, had decided to stick to its earlier decision to impose a 28 per cent tax on the full face value of the bets placed on online gaming, casinos and horse-racing.
The council had said a 28 per cent GST would apply from October 1. Before the GST Council's decision, the online gaming industry had to shell out an 18 per cent tax on gross gaming revenue or GGR.