Bengal GST collections rise Rs 1,373 crore on better compliance
Kolkata: Bengal collected Rs 12,905 crore in GST in the first quarter of 2026-27, up 12% from Rs 11,532 crore in the same period last year — an additional Rs 1,373 crore — with officials attributing the growth largely to improved compliance and a crackdown on fake transactions. State finance minister Swapan Dasgupta said the revenue buoyancy was driven by better compliance.
“The trend so far is very positive and we are optimistic that it will continue and get better,” he told TOI. The headline growth rate understates the actual improvement, according to sources. GST rates were mostly rationalised from 18% to 5% in Sept 2025, with cuts on white goods, FMCG and small cars bringing rates significantly lower than the previous year.
“Growth would be over 20% if last fiscal’s rates were considered,” one source said. A notable feature of the quarter was the performance on inter-state GST. Outbound IGST — levied on goods and services consumed in other states — had grown 17% in FY26. In Q1FY27, however, outbound IGST saw a marginal de-growth of 0.2%, while inbound IGST rose 4%. Officials said the outbound de-growth was achieved by detecting and eliminating fake IGST transactions.
SGST commissioner Khalid Anwar described the earlier high outbound IGST growth as “surprising for a consumer state.” “A de-growth of 0.2% means an actual gain of over 17% on IGST,” an expert said. Total annual GST collection in FY26 stood at Rs 47,201 crore, up from Rs 45,224 crore in FY25.
