Generation of e-way bills for inter-state trade under the goods and services tax (GST) system stood at 24.27 lakh in the week ended February 20, 3.2% higher than in the week ended January 23, reflecting an improvement in commerce.

The daily e-way bills averaged 23.83 lakh in the first 20 days of February, with the number coming in at 4.77 crore. Generation of daily e-way bills had declined 4% on month to 22.2 lakh in January, compared with 23.1 lakh in December.

E-way bills generation is a proxy of GST revenues. Gross GST collections came in at Rs 1.41 lakh crore in January (December sales), the highest mop-up in the history of the comprehensive indirect tax that was launched in July 2017.

Even though e-way bills generation has declined by 4% in January over December, the GST collections could still be around Rs 1.3 lakh crore for February (January sales) going by the recent trend.

Bills generation at 7.35 crore in October was the highest monthly data, thanks to a spurt in goods dispatches for stocking ahead of the festival season by shopkeepers and traders.