Itanagar: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Tuesday engaged with traders and shopkeepers at Naharlagun’s G-Extension market, stressing the transformative impact of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on Arunachal Pradesh’s economy.
Speaking during the “Next-Gen GST Prachar Abhiyaan,” Mein noted that the state’s indirect tax revenue has grown sharply since GST’s rollout.
“When GST was first introduced, our collections stood at Rs 270 crore. Today, that figure has surged to Rs 1,900 crore—an increase of nearly 700 per cent,” he said.
He added that the number of registered GST taxpayers in Arunachal has more than doubled, rising from just over 7,000 in 2017 to close to 18,500 by mid-2025.
The rise, he explained, was the outcome of easier digital processes, simplified registration, and a growing effort to integrate small businesses into the formal sector.
Calling GST the embodiment of “One Nation, One Tax,” the Deputy CM recalled how the idea of taxation once created hesitation among citizens.
“Earlier, people would feel apprehensive just at the mention of taxes. GST has changed that outlook by streamlining the system,” he remarked, while crediting the Narendra Modi-led government for introducing the reform.
Lok Sabha MP Tapir Gao, also present at the programme, urged citizens to promote indigenous products to strengthen self-reliance.
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He pointed out that more than 300 items—including daily-use products, children’s books, and even televisions—have been exempted from GST, offering relief to the public.
IMC corporator Tarh Achak welcomed the reforms and appealed to traders to ensure that benefits reach consumers. He reminded shopkeepers to maintain fair pricing in line with the new system.
The outreach was attended by Rajya Sabha member and GST Prachar Abhiyan convenor Nabam Rebia, state BJP president Kaling Moyong, legislators Tojir Kadu and Techi Kaso, Itanagar Municipal Corporation Mayor Tamme Phassang, and several corporators.
