BJP says Congress trapped country in VAT, GST paving path to developed nation
PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
Congress trapped the country in a web of Value Added Tax (VAT), now Goods and Services Tax (GST) is driving the making of a developed India, the BJP national spokesman Pratyush Kant said during a Press conference in Dehradun on Thursday at the party headquarters.
He described the government’s announcement of new GST reforms as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Diwali gift to citizens and said the move would directly benefit common households. Kant stated that the new GST rates, effective from September 22, will reduce the cost of several daily-use products.
Tax on items such as shampoo, hair oil, toothpaste, butter, ghee, dairy products, sewing machines and similar essentials has been brought down from 12–18 per cent to five percent. In healthcare, the GST on life insurance has been removed, while tax on thermometers, diagnostic kits, glucometers and test strips has been reduced to five percent. Educational materials for schools have also been exempted from GST. For agriculture, GST on tractors, tyres, parts, biopesticides and other equipment has been reduced from 12 to five per cent.
To support the middle class, vehicle purchase tax has been cut from 28 to 18 per cent. Several electronics including televisions, monitors and projectors will see a 10 percent reduction in GST. He said that the government aims to increase purchasing power by lowering tax burdens, which in turn will raise demand, encourage industries and generate employment.
Comparing the current reforms to the earlier system, he said Congress governments imposed nearly 17 different taxes under VAT. He added that the new changes will lower the cost of food items, insurance, medicines, clothing, footwear, household appliances and building materials for consumers across the country. Kant said that GST revenue now exceeds Rs two lakh crore annually and the government wants its benefit to reach every citizen.
