India’s Diwali sales hit a record Rs 5.40 lakh crore in goods and around Rs 65,000 crore in services this festive season, buoyed by GST reforms and robust consumer demand, industry data showed on Tuesday. This marks the highest-ever turnover during the festival period in the country’s retail and trading history.

According to CAIT Research and Trade Development Society, the research wing of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), sales between Navratri and Diwali grew 25 per cent over last year’s Rs 4.25 lakh crore.

Mainline retail contributed nearly 85 per cent of total sales, signalling a revival of brick-and-mortar stores. Analysts said the reduction in GST rates on key consumer and retail items such as confectionery, footwear, home decor, ready-made garments, consumer durables,

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