Maharashtra tops the list of fresh GST registrations, Gujarat comes second

Ten lakh applications for new GST registrations under unified tax regime have been received from across the country

Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh have emerged as the states from where maximum number of applications for fresh registration under the recently-launched Goods and Services Tax (GST) has been received.

Former President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi press buttons for the launch of Goods and Services Tax at midnight of June 30 at the special ceremony in the Central Hall of Parliament in New Delhi. (PTI File photo)

The GST Network (GSTN), which that supports the entire IT mechanism for the new tax structure, has so far received about 10 lakh applications for new registrations. Out of these, 1,32,448 applications have poured in from Maharashtra while about 90,000 came from Gujarat and over 87,000 from Uttar Pradesh.

West Bengal and Tamil Nadu made up the top part of the list with more than 75,000 applications each.

“We have received about 10 lakh new registrations. We are receiving about 40-45,000 applications every day,” GSTN chairman Navin Kumar told Hindustan Times.

The number of fresh registrations has been relatively lower in the north-eastern states. Businesses have time until July 30 to register under the GST -- touted as the one tax structure for the entire country-- which was launched on the midnight of June 30.

Kumar said that of the existing 80 lakh taxpayers, who have been paying service tax, central excise or value added tax, about 71 lakh have migrated to GST. While the window to migrate from the existing structure to the unified tax regime will be open till July end, Kumar said several may not migrate to the new tax structure as businesses with turnover of up to Rs 20 lakh were exempted from GST.

Government sources said that the GST Council is set to tweak tax rates of a few items, besides bringing in procedural changes.

Kumar added that a 12 hour helpline—operating from 8am to 8pm-- has been set up to assist merchants in uploading their invoices and other data relevant for fresh registration under GST.