Actor Mohanlal receiving an award for the highest tax payer from entertainment industry in Kerala, from Finance Minister K. N. Balagopal during an event celebrating 8th year of roll out of GST regime in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN
The Thiruvananthapuram CGST Zone in Kerala achieved remarkable growth, with an 18% increase in GST revenue and a 14% rise in Central Excise collections. According to S.K, Rahman, Chief Commissioner, Central Tax and Central Excise, Kerala Zone (Former Joint Secretary, GST Council), the performance stands in sharp contrast to the modest 5% growth recorded in the previous year.
What sets Kerala apart is its strategic integration of sustained taxpayer outreach, awareness-building, and technology-enabled compliance mechanisms. By prioritising early resolution of taxpayer grievances, ensuring timely adjudication, and leveraging digital tools for monitoring registration and audit processes, the State has demonstrated how growth can be effectively coupled with good governance, he said in a statement.
The GST revenue collection in the first two months of FY 2025-26 has increased with a growth rate of 18% and the Central Excise revenue with a growth rate of 14%. As per the latest revenue trends, the GST collections up to May 2025 in the financial year 2025–26 have shown notable growth of 18%, increasing from ₹3,238 crore in the same period of the previous year (FY 2024–25) to ₹3,826 crore.
Similarly, Central Excise revenue has also registered a growth of 14%, with collections rising from ₹4,433 crore up to May 2024 to ₹5,056 crore in the corresponding period of FY 2025–26. These figures indicate a positive momentum in indirect tax collections, reflecting both economic activity and improved compliance. At the national level, the GST revenues for May 2025 touched ₹2.01 lakh crore, reflecting a robust 16.4% year-on-year increase over ₹1.72 lakh crore in May 2024.
Kerala’s GST success is built on silent diligence, timely action, and a taxpayer-centric approach, said Mr. Rahman. He also stressed that the journey ahead for Kerala is one of scaling higher, deepening outreach, and embracing the digital economy. As India eyes a $5 trillion GDP, GST will be at the heart of enabling inclusive growth, fiscal health, and taxpayer trust, he added.
Published – July 01, 2025 09:06 pm IST
