GST reforms PM Modi's bumper gift to citizens, Cong's double standards exposed: Nadda

New Delhi, Sep 4 (PTI) BJP president J P Nadda on Thursday hailed the GST reforms as a "bumper gift" given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to citizens ahead of festivals like Durga Puja and Diwali.

He also slammed the Congress for finding faults with the measures taken by the GST Council, saying it exposes the opposition party's double standards as Rahul Gandhi opposes the decisions which are supported by finance ministers of state governments run by his party.

All decisions of the GST Council, he noted, have been taken by consensus.

Nadda said the Congress-led UPA government could not even implement the Goods and Services Tax because states did not trust it. On the contrary, the Congress at that time robbed poor people and traders through Value Added Tax (VAT) and left ample scope for tax evasion, he claimed.

The Modi government instead realised the concept of 'one nation one tax' by rolling out the GST in 2017, he said.

The wide-ranging reforms were announced by the GST Council on Wednesday, doing away with tax slabs of 28 per cent and 12 per cent, and keeping only two slabs of 5 per cent and 18 per cent.

Nadda noted that the GST on many essential items have been reduced to zero and reduced substantially on a host of other products.

PM Modi had expressed his intentions of GST reforms in his Independence Day speech, and the GST Council has now taken this historic step, he said, adding that these reforms will help boost the living standards of citizens and the ease of business for traders and small businesses.

"Our government's goal is not merely revenue collection but also to boost living standards of every citizen," Nadda said. The decision will strengthen economy and ignite new hopes, he said.

The decision to do away with tax on health and life insurance premiums is a very important step and it will strengthen health and financial security of people, Nadda, who is also the Union Health Minister, said.

The common man as well as every sector from agriculture to construction and medical will be boosted by these reforms, he said, adding that the prime minister believes in taking big steps to give relief to citizens.

Nadda also praised Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who heads the GST Council, and finance ministers of different states, who are its members, for the decision. PTI KR KVK KVK