Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 18 Sep: The BJP today described the announcement of next-generation GST reforms as a historic Diwali gift from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the people of the country. Party’s national spokesperson Pratyush Kant held a press conference here today at which he claimed that, as the nation takes a decisive turn towards becoming a developed country, this step of the Centre will bring significant growth in the economy of the common person.
Addressing the media at BJP State Headquarters here, today, Kant asserted that from 22 September, essential commodities of daily need will be available to people at lower prices. Attacking the Opposition, he added that earlier the country was trapped in the web of dozens of types of VAT, whereas today the principle of one nation, one tax is shaping an Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Kant stated that income up to Rs 12.75 lakh has now been exempted from tax, the inflation rate has been kept below 4 percent, 3.78 crore houses have been constructed under PM Awas Yojana in urban areas and 1.17 crore in rural regions for the poor, 12 crore toilets have been built, 9.5 crore free LPG connections have been distributed, tap water has been provided to 17 crore households, 41 crore Ayushman cards have been issued, and Rs 3.90 lakh crore has been disbursed under the Kisan Samman Nidhi.
The BJP’s National Spokesman asserted that this decision of the Modi government marks a next-generation GST reform, whose benefits will spread from farmers to industries and from households to businesses, bringing joy to every section of society. He added that this step is historic also because, in the last eleven years, the policy of one nation, one tax has allowed the country to touch new dimensions of economic reform and prosperity. Today, the nation is receiving more than Rs 2 lakh crores in GST revenue, and the government intends to ensure that the real benefit reaches the common people. Therefore, tax rates in many crucial sectors have been reduced to zero, while in most others they have been cut by 10 to 20 percent. The national revenue will flow back into nation-building.
Quoting figures on GST reforms, Kant said that items of daily use taxed earlier at 18 and 12 percent have now been reduced to 5 percent. This includes shampoo, hair oil, toothpaste, toothbrush, butter, ghee, dairy products, sewing machines and more. In the healthcare sector, GST has been made zero on life insurance, and on items like thermometers, diagnostic kits, glucometers and test strips, the tax has been reduced to just 5 percent. Similarly, school-related educational materials have been made tax-free. For the growth of agriculture and farmers, the tax on tractor tyres, parts, tractors, bio-pesticides, drip irrigation systems and many modern farm implements has been cut from 12 percent to 5 percent. To ease the burden on the middle class, tax on purchase of vehicles has been reduced from 28 to 18 percent. On electronic appliances like television, monitors and projectors, tax has been slashed by 10 percent.
Targeting the Congress, which has been making negative comments on the reforms, he said that their governments had imposed multiple types of taxes, almost 17 varieties of VAT, which completely disrupted household budgets with everyday inflation. Even basic items like toothpaste, soap and hair oil were taxed at 27 percent, children’s toffees at 21 percent and even the poor man’s cycle at 17 percent. Similarly, essential household items like plates, cups and spoons attracted 18 to 28 percent, tooth powder was taxed at 17, self-employment tools like sewing machines at 16, hotel room bookings at 14, diagnostic kits related to health at 16, cement at 29 and household appliances at up to 31 percent.
The BJP leader claimed that after 22 September, the impact of this historic decision of the PM Modi will be visible to every common citizen when everyday essentials such as tea, milk, curd, flour, rice, oil, idli, dosa, butter, chocolates, sweets, life insurance, health insurance, medical equipment, life-saving medicines, clothes, footwear, refrigerators, televisions, agricultural tools and building materials will be available at lower prices. This reform will benefit every section of society, whether youth, women, farmers, MSME sector, consumers, shopkeepers or entrepreneurs.
He reminded that, presently, India is the fastest-growing economy in the world, the fifth largest economy, the fifth largest stock market and the third largest start-up ecosystem. All this has been possible because, as he put it, “Modi hai to mumkin hai”. That is why Prime Minister Modi is ensuring that the rising economic prosperity of the nation reaches every citizen. Under his dynamic leadership, the country is taking decisive steps towards becoming developed. To achieve the targets he has set, it is the responsibility of all capable citizens to work collectively for building a strong and prosperous India.
Also present at the press conference were chief state spokesperson of BJP, Suresh Joshi, state media convener Manveer Chauhan, co-convener Rajendra Negi and state party spokesperson Vipin Kanthola.
