Goa's Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday publicly addressed a concerning dip in the state's Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections for the month of December. He acknowledged that the expected growth momentum did not materialize, pointing to a noticeable impact on revenue.
December Figures Show a Clear Decline
The financial data reveals a clear setback. Goa's GST revenue for December fell to Rs 365 crore, marking a 3% decline from the Rs 378 crore collected in the same month of the previous year. This performance places Goa among a group of twelve states across India that reported a contraction in GST mop-up for the month, contrasting with the national average which saw a 6% increase for all states.
Chief Minister Sawant made these remarks after conducting a review meeting with heads of various departments to assess the state's budgetary allocations and expenditure. "The speed at which the GST collections should have increased in December did not happen. There is a little bit of an effect," Sawant told reporters in Panaji.
A Broader Look at the Financial Year
While the December figures are disappointing, the broader picture for the current financial year shows minimal growth. For the ten-month period from March to December, Goa's cumulative GST collections have inched up by a negligible 1%. The collections stood at Rs 3,288 crore for this period in the 2025-26 financial year, compared to Rs 3,251 crore in the corresponding period of 2024-25.
However, it's not all negative news on the fiscal front. Despite the monthly dip, Goa has received Rs 3,288 crore as its State GST (SGST) share from the Integrated GST (IGST) settlement up to December in the current financial year. This figure is marginally higher than the Rs 3,251 crore received during the same timeframe last year.
Possible Causes and Budgetary Review
Officials have pointed to a potential key reason behind the sluggish growth. The revision in national GST rates implemented in September, which introduced lower rates for several key products, is believed to have contributed to the slower pace of revenue generation for the state.
The high-level meeting chaired by CM Sawant had a dual agenda: reviewing the progress on assurances made in the 2025-26 state budget and examining the utilization of allocated funds and pending disbursals. The review found that by November, 54% of the budget had been utilized.
"Given the speed at which we are working, 95% of the budget will be completed by March 31," Sawant stated confidently. He added, "Then there are the budget assurances that were given by the department. These budget assurances will be revised and we will ensure that these assurances are fulfilled." This indicates a renewed administrative focus on meeting fiscal targets and delivering on promises as the financial year enters its final quarter.
