Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday welcomed the latest GST reforms as a historic step that will benefit every section of society. He said the move reflected Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to empower the poor, farmers, middle class, and common people.
Welcoming the cut in goods and services tax (GST) rates on commonly used items, Saini said it would lower inflation, boost savings, and make life easier for people. He called the reforms approved by the GST Council a milestone towards building an "Atmanirbhar Bharat".
“The Prime Minister has always worked to empower the poor, farmers and common people,” he said at a press conference. Saini added that the reforms would benefit everyone, from small households to industries.
He dismissed claims that the move was linked to elections. “You will see one election or another happening somewhere in the country. Don't link it with Bihar elections,” he stressed.
The GST Council’s decision to bring all products, except sin goods, under the 5 per cent and 18 per cent slabs, while reducing the rate to zero on several essential items, will take effect from September 22, the first day of Navratri.
Responding to opposition criticism, Saini said the Congress and its allies were only trying to find faults. “Have Congress and other members of the INDI Alliance praised even one decision taken by the Prime Minister in the past decade? These days they have come up with 'vote theft' charge. Earlier, they blamed EVMs, then they said the constitution and democracy is in danger,” he said.
"Neither the Constitution, nor democracy is in danger, but it is the Congress which is in danger, it is getting wiped out. It has no issues left. They have lost ground," he further said.
According to Saini, people in Haryana will save nearly Rs 4,000 crore annually due to the GST cuts. The middle class will spend less on essentials, while farmers will benefit from reduced GST on tractors and parts, which will lower input costs and encourage the use of modern machinery in agriculture.
He also welcomed the decision to cut GST on packaged milk and cheese from 5 per cent to zero. “This will support dairy farmers and reduce costs for consumers,” he said.
Calling GST the biggest economic reform since Independence, Saini said it had made India’s tax system simpler, more transparent, and had removed trade
barriers between states, fulfilling the vision of ‘One Nation, One Tax, One Market’.
The GST Council has also approved reducing the current four tax slabs—5, 12, 18, and 28 per cent—to just two: 5 and 18 per cent. A special 40 per cent slab will remain for items such as luxury cars, tobacco, and cigarettes.
Saini, who also holds the finance portfolio, represented Haryana at the 56th GST Council meeting in New Delhi, chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
He also said the state government had kept the e-Kshatipurti portal open to help farmers from 2,897 villages register crop damage caused by recent floods and heavy rain. Farmers can upload details of their losses and file claims online, which will be verified before compensation is paid.
Relief materials from different parts of Haryana are also being sent to Punjab, Saini added.
Also Read: ‘GST reforms will cause ₹3,700-crore revenue loss’
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