DIP: 18.02.51/20261102 
DOI: 10.25215/2455/110251 
Abstract
The implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on 1 July 2017 marked a significant milestone in India’s indirect taxation system by replacing multiple central and state indirect taxes with a unified destination-based tax structure. The primary objective of GST was to simplify tax administration, eliminate the cascading effect of taxes, improve transparency, enhance tax compliance, and create a common national market. The present study analyzes the socio-economic impact of GST on business enterprises and consumers in Gujarat State. The research adopts an exploratory and descriptive research design using both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected from 250 respondents, including manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, service providers, and consumers from major cities of Gujarat through a structured questionnaire. Secondary data were obtained from government reports, GST Council publications, books, journals, statutory provisions, and official databases. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistical techniques, including frequency distribution, percentage analysis, mean, standard deviation, skewness, kurtosis, and One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with the help of SPSS and Microsoft Excel. The findings reveal that GST has significantly improved business transparency, tax compliance, digital accounting practices, and interstate trade while encouraging the widespread adoption of electronic payment systems. Business enterprises have benefited from the availability of input tax credit and a simplified indirect tax structure. However, the study also identifies several challenges, including increased compliance costs, frequent amendments to GST provisions, technical issues with the GST portal, and procedural complexities faced particularly by small and medium enterprises. Consumers generally expressed positive perceptions regarding tax transparency, although changes in GST rates have influenced the prices of certain goods and services. The study concludes that GST has had a predominantly positive socio-economic impact on Gujarat State by promoting economic formalization, digitalization, and efficient tax administration. Nevertheless, continuous policy reforms, simplification of compliance procedures, technological improvements, and taxpayer awareness programmes are essential for enhancing the effectiveness of the GST system and ensuring sustainable economic development.
The author(s) appreciates all those who participated in the study and helped to facilitate the research process. 
The author(s) declared no conflict of interest. 
ISSN 2455-670X