GST revenues plunge 41% in first quarter
- Goods and Services Tax collections for the April to June quarter stood at ₹1.86 lakh crore, a 41% drop in comparison to the ₹3.14 lakh crore collected in the same period last year.
- In the first clear indication of the COVID19 impact on government revenues, the monthly GST collections data, released by the Finance Ministry for the first time since March, show that revenues plunged during the lockdown. However, the June collections were more robust.
- The Ministry had eased tax filing deadlines due to the lockdown, allowing businesses to file their March, April and May returns by the end of June. GST collections for April crashed 72% to just ₹32,294 crore.
‘Pak. increases troops at LoC’
- Pakistan has increased troop deployment along the Line of Control (LoC), with the numbers exceeding that during the Balakot air strike last year. There has been an increase by up to two divisions, or about 20,000 troops.
- Indian military source said. Pakistani radars along the LoC were also fully active, the source added. The Skardu air base in Pakistan occupied Kashmir has also been activated.