Genuine demands on GST will be considered: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday said genuine demands in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) act will be considered and rectified. 

Speaking at a GST conclave here, he said “before implementation of GST, the Centre imposed many kind of taxes, but the situation has now changed after implementation of the act.” Further, he added, when a product was earlier being sold at other states, various taxes were slapped and this too had changed. 

GST was not an easy tax reform to implement and there are people who wanted to stall reforms, Jaitley said noting that government would not blink first against the opposition if there are larger national interests involved. “If reform is of national interest, then do not blink. There are people who would trip you and will never allow reforms,” he said. 

Stating that keeping nation’s development in the mind, GST was evolved and there was no possibility for immediate amendment on the new tax, Jaitley noted that the country’s economy had been slow in the last 18 years and needed reforms. 

“We remain united in politics, but not in terms of economy. States like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra are the pioneers as far as industries sectors are concerned and GST will pave the way for increasing products and making the economy more efficient,” Jaitley said, adding the Centre always was keen to keep the tax rates on essential commodities like food items in the lower slabs. 

Similarly, Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Commerce Minister said she had always been reiterating the fact that GST will no longer affect the poor and traders. As the FM was an economist, there was no need to panic about GST, she opined.

Earlier, state FM, D Jayakumar, stressed that GST will surely increase production in the industries and if there is any doubt, the traders’ body can approach him and that he would take their concerns to the GST council meeting.”