Itanagar, Sep 19 (PTI) Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Friday said the state's Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections have grown by more than 700 per cent in six years, from Rs 227 crore in 2017-18 to nearly Rs 1,900 crore in 2023-24.

He attributed the growth to wider digital access, simplified registration processes and efforts to bring small businesses into the formal economy, an official statement said.

Speaking at a programme organised by the BJP in Namsai district on the GST reforms, Mein said the number of registered taxpayers also rose significantly, from 7,365 in 2017 to 18,477 by mid-2025.

"These additional resources have been instrumental in building roads, expanding healthcare, improving education and funding welfare programmes," he said.

With the implementation of the GST reforms on September 22, Mein said the state is better positioned to accelerate development.

He said the reforms would make medicines, farm machinery, handicrafts and tourism services cheaper, directly benefiting the people of the state.

Earlier in the day, Mein attended the 'Rashtriya Poshan Maah' (National Nutrition Month) programme in Chongkham with Namsai MLA Zingnu Namchoom and Nari-Koyu MLA Tojir Kadu.

The event promoted nutrition among women and children through diet diversity, fortified foods, and real-time monitoring. PTI UPL UPL SOM

GST revenue growth signals expanded tax base and enables increased funding for infrastructure and healthcare. Arunachal Pradesh's GST collections rose substantially over six years, driven by wider digital access, streamlined registration and formalisation of small businesses that boosted registered taxpayers; increased GST revenue has been allocated to infrastructure and social-sector spending, and newly implemented GST reforms are expected to lower prices for medicines, farm machinery, handicrafts and tourism services.