GST: ‘Thank you Gujarat. Changes made because of Gujarat elections. ChidabaramTweeted
NEW DELHI : Hours after Government’s GST panel committee made major changes in the Goods and Services Tax structure by removing 178 items from the highest 28% category, former Finance Minister and Congress leader P.Chidabaramm took a jibe at Government saying changes in GST were made because of Gujarat elections. He said the step was being taken keeping the upcoming Gujarat elections in mind.
Taking a snipe at Modi Government, Chidambaram took his Twitter account on Friday night and said, “Thank you Gujarat. Your elections did what Parliament and common sense could not do,” he tweeted. This isn’t the first time Chidambaram has criticized Government’s GST structure.
In a series of tweets, Chidambaram said that the government had learned its lesson belatedly. “Congress is vindicated. I am vindicated. The merit of capping GST at 18% is now recognised,” he said. Ahead of the government decision, Chidambaram had on Thursday said that a “shower of changes” are expected from the GST Council meeting in Guwahati and the “panic-stricken” Modi government has no option but to change the new tax rates.
In a major revamp of the GST tax structure, the GST Council on Friday removed 178 items from the highest 28 per cent category while cutting the tax on all restaurants outside starred-hotels to 5 per cent but withdrawing input credit facility for them. Industry welcomed the changes saying these would boost consumer demand
Only 50 products, including luxury and sin items, white goods, cement and paints, automobiles, aeroplane and yacht parts have been retained in the top 28 per cent slab. “The GST Council has decided to slash tax slabs of 178 items from 28 per cent to 18 per cent. It will be applicable from 15th of this month (November),” Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said while briefing media persons after the two-day meeting here.
Modi hailed the recommendations made by the GST Council and said that it will further benefit the people and strengthen the tax regime. He also said public participation was at the core of the government’s functioning and that all its decisions were “people-friendly and people-centric”.
West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra earlier told reporters that the loss on account of a “hasty and ill-designed” GST had resulted in the exchequer losing around Rs 60,000 crore for the Centre and Rs 30,000 crore for the states in just the first three months. (With Agency Inputs ).
