Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], September 22 : Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday hailed the centre for introducing rate cuts to Goods and Services Tax (GST), asserting that it would provide the "necessary impetus" to consumption and investment.
Labelling the GST reforms as "revolutionary", Reddy stated that the restructuring will make the tax system simpler and fairer for citizens.
"The GST restructuring is a revolutionary step towards a simpler, fairer tax system It is a commendable move to make goods & services more simpler and affordable to every citizen. Here and there, there might be a few glitches with a few complaints but it's a process and I am hopeful that the benefits would get passed on to the end consumers. This will surely give the necessary impetus to consumption and investment in the economy," Reddy posted on X.
Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the latter opposed the GST when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
"From 2006-2014, for eight years, only one CM opposed the GST, and that CM became the Prime Minister in 2014 and took a U-turn and emerged as a messiah of GST in 2017," Ramesh, General Secretary incharge of communications in Congress, told ANI.
He argued that Congress has been "repeatedly" demanding reforms to GST for eight years, which the government ignored until US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Modi announced the implementation of the next-generation GST reforms starting from today (September 22), marking what he called a major step towards the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
Addressing the nation, PM Modi said the reforms would usher in a countrywide "GST Bachat Utsav," benefiting the poor, middle-class, farmers, traders, and entrepreneurs alike.
"From the sunrise of the very first day of Navratri, the nation is taking another important and major step towards the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. Tomorrow, on the first day of Navratri, September 22, along with the rising of Suryadev, the Next Generation GST Reforms will come into effect," he said.
The Prime Minister said that with the increased savings and easier purchases, the poor, middle class, farmers, women, traders and entrepreneurs of the country are all set to "benefit greatly."