One in Every Five GST Payers in India is Female: SBI Report

By: WE staff | Tuesday, 5 August 2025

• India has more than 1.52 crore active GST registrations as per a report by the State Bank of India's
• Women account for 20% (one-fifth) of total GST-registered taxpayers, which is an indication of increasing female engagement in the formal sector of business
• The report observes that this female presence is particularly noteworthy in private limited companies and LLPs, citing an increase in women-led formal businesses

According to research conducted by the State Bank of India's Economic Research Department, India boasts over 1.52 crore active GST registrations. Of these, 20 percent are women taxpayers, and 14 percent of the registered companies are exclusively women-owned. Such percentage is much higher in case of private limited firms as well as LLPs, reflecting formalisation and corporate growth is causing the more inclusive gender distribution.

This is also a manifestation of more general women's empowerment—women currently account for 15 percent of all taxpayers of income and hold 40 percent of all bank deposits.

GST collections have seen strong growth. In a span of five years (FY21-FY25), the gross GST collection has been doubled, averaging around ₹2 lakh crore per month. Six states have crossed ₹1 lakh crore, and the top five states collect 41 percent of the country's total GST revenue. In the top-performing states, IGST (Integrated GST) is yielding over 30 percent of their domestic GST collections, reflecting their contribution toward easing inter-state trade and adding to national revenues.

Eight years have passed since GST arrived in 2017, substituting a multitude of indirect taxes with one integrated system. The initiative was intended to encourage economic unification, simplify the flow of goods among states, reduce business expenses, and enable the taxpayer to pay less and fewer times. GST has been central to developing a more efficient and integrated economy.

Yet, the report registers a shockingly developing trend. Even though these are ranked as among the richer states, the likes of Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka have comparatively lesser percentages of active GST taxpayers in relation to their contribution towards the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).

Conversely, Gujarat, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh have a higher rate of GST taxpayers compared to their share in GSDP, indicating strong latent potential for more growth in these states.