The Finance Minister on Monday informed that despite deduction of tax on several items, the revenue collection under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was as high as Rs 94,442 crore in September compared to Rs 93,960 crore in August. “The total gross GST revenue collected in the month of September, 2018 is Rs. 94,442 crore of which CGST is Rs. 15,318 crore, SGST is Rs. 21,061 crore, IGST is Rs. 50,070 crore (including Rs. 25,308 crore collected on imports) and Cess is Rs. 7,993 crore (including Rs. 769 crore collected on imports),” a statement from Finance Ministry read. The ministry also informed that the total number of GSTR 3B Returns filed for the month of August up to 30th September, 2018 is 67 lakh.

Last month, after announcing the monthly GST collection, the government justified the dip in tax revenues to the postponement of sale of over 50 items including washing machines, refrigerators and televisions and others on which tax rate was reduced by the GST Council at its July 21 meeting. The deducted prices were applicable from July 27, 2018. “The actual impact of reduction of rate of taxes would be observed only from next month (September),” the Finance Ministry had then said.

“The total revenue earned by Central Government and the State Governments after settlement in the month of September, 2018 is Rs. 30,574 crore for CGST and Rs. 35,015 crore for the SGST,” the statement said adding that Rs 7,993 crore was collected as cess.

The Finance Ministry also informed that the total revenue earned by Central government and the state governments after settlement is Rs 30,574 crore for CGST and Rs 35,015 crore for the SGST. The government has set a monthly GST collection target of Rs 1 lakh crore for this fiscal, but till now has not been able to touch the mark months after months.