Slams Congress for spreading ‘negativity’
NEW DELHI: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday that the GST reforms will benefit the poor, the middle class, the new middle class, the youth, farmers, women, shopkeepers, and ‘udhyami’ (entrepreneurs).
The minister said the rate rationalisation at 5 per cent and 18 per cent will not only support local manufacturing but also bring cooperative federalism.
“We should all work to accelerate growth, make it easy for businesses to function, and be attractive for investment. Such a big tax reform became possible by taking all states together since 2017,” said the Finance Minister.
“PM Modi’s address to the nation had several messages. Unfortunate that despite a positive and direction-setting address, our opposition party and its SM (social media) ecosystem spread negativity and baseless criticism,” she noted in a post on X.
The minister also slammed the opposition for criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation on the GST reforms. She said Congress and its ecosystem only spread “negativity and baseless criticism.”
Sitharaman wrote about the benefits of the reforms and stated that India should be ‘Atmanirbhar’, emphasizing the need for local manufacturing, and also highlighted the need to become equal partners in the country’s growth.
“1. GST reform benefits the poor, the middle class, new middle class, yuva, kisan,women, shopkeepers and udhyami 2. Nagrik Devo Bhava is a strong focus 3. India should be #AtmanirbharBharat 4. We should be proud of swadeshi–“Garv se kaho, ye swadeshi hai” 5. Support local manufacturing 6. Emphasises on cooperative federalism 7. Calls on states to become equal partners in growth 8. We should all work to accelerate growth, make it easy for businesses to function, and be attractive for investment 9. Such a big tax reform became possible by taking all states together since 2017,” the post further said.
The minister said the GST reforms coming into effect from September 22 have reduced the tax burden on people.
Speaking on the eve of GST reforms coming into play, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the nation, said nearly 99 per cent of products earlier taxed at 12 per cent, have now been moved into the 5 per cent category.
He underlined that this reform would make essential and lifestyle goods, from groceries and medicines to TVs, refrigerators, two-wheelers, cars, and even hotel stays, more affordable for citizens.
Notably, under the revised GST rates, kitchen staples to electronics, medicines and equipment to automobiles will get cheaper. Mass consumption items like ghee, paneer, butter, namkeen, ketchup, jam, dry fruits, coffee, and ice cream, and aspirational goods like TVs, ACs, and washing machines will also see the benefits.
The cost of medicines will come down for the common man, and home builders will also benefit as GST on cement has been cut to 18 per cent from 28 per cent.
Agencies
GST 2.0 to benefit poor, middle class: FM Sitharaman
