Guwahati: Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today said the state's GST collection has been "significant" in the past three months.
After reviewing the preparations for the two-day 23rd meeting of the GST Council to be held here from Thursday, Sarma told reporters that the state had collected GST to the tune of Rs 330 crore in August, while it increased to Rs 486 crore in October.
The state's GST collection was Rs 390 crore in September.
"Though we are losing revenue because of introduction of GST, our collection has been significant so far. Last month, our GST collection was Rs 486 crore, which otherwise (without GST) would have been around Rs 500 to Rs 600 crore but we are not worried about the loss since the Centre will compensate it," he said.
Sarma reviewed the arrangements with top officials, including additional chief secretary (finance) V.B. Pyarelal, principal secretary (finance) Samir Kumar Sinha, Guwahati police commissioner Hiren Chandra Nath and Kamrup (metro) deputy commissioner M. Angamuthu.
"The Guwahati meeting will review GST implementation after three months of its introduction," he said.
"So far, finance ministers of 24 states have confirmed participation. Finance ministers of Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat will not be able to come because of Assembly polls. We are awaiting confirmation from Andhra Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim," he said. Puducherry will be represented by its chief minister and Bihar and Manipur by the states' deputy chief ministers who hold the finance portfolio.
"The officers will meet on November 9 and the meeting of the GST council - comprising the Union finance minister and finance ministers of the states - will be held next day.
Union minister of state (finance) Shiv Pratap Shukla, Union revenue secretary Hasmukh Adhia and chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian will also attend.
"Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal will host a state dinner for the participants on Friday. We have arranged a cruise on the Brahmaputra and a Kaziranga visit for them," he said.
