Patna: Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, who also heads the finance and commercial taxes departments, on Wednesday expressed concern over dwindling number of goods & services tax (GST) returns being filed by firms in Bihar.

"A survey would be conducted for assessing the problems traders are facing in filing GST returns," Modi said during a programme with representatives of trade bodies organised by the Bihar Chamber of Commerce and Industries here on Wednesday.

Of the 1.81 lakh firms registered under GST, 72 per cent had filed returns in the month of July. The percentage came down to 58 in August and further dwindled to 46.4 per cent in September.

GST had come into effect from July 1 this year.

Representatives from Bihar Industries Association, readymade garment dealers association, Bihar chemist and druggist association and several other such organisations expressed their views in the meeting, which came two days before the GST council meeting in Guwahati on November 10 in which Modi will represent Bihar.

Some of the important points the trade bodies raised pertained to improvement in the functioning of the GSTN portal, simplification of GST return formats, and also reducing their number from three to one and enhancing the upper limit of composition scheme from the existing Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore of annual turnover.

Participants also demanded that representatives of traders' and manufacturers' bodies should find a place in the GST council. Chamber president P.K. Agrawal submitted a consolidated demand list to Modi, who promised to raise the important points at the GST council meet.

He apprised participants about decisions likely to be taken at the council meet.

"There is possibility that around 80 per cent of the 227 items which have been kept in the 28 per cent tax bracket would be brought under the 18 per cent bracket," the deputy CM said. "Also, recommendation has been made that several items under the 18 per cent tax bracket should be brought under the 12 per cent bracket."