There’s need to simplify GST rollout: Manpreet
HYDERABAD : Alleging that there has been lot of “chaos” in the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal said the new tax regime should be made simpler, especially for the small players.
The Congress leader said the GST was not very well planned. He also said that the country’s economy is not in a position to bear shocks like note ban and GST within a year.
“You don’t cut off your nose to spite your face. Now that we have got into the GST regime, we should try and simplify it,” Manpreet told PTI here.
“Simplify the new tax regime some sectors like textile, construction, bicycle industry and especially for small and medium trader, and for that, the Union government must listen to the feedback coming from the states,” he said.
“Every state has a peculiar problem and there are multiple slab rates,” Manpreet said.
“The GST was not very well planned out. There has been a lot of chaos and pandemonium. This is now showing in the last four months. We are constantly trying to tweak it. So, we could have done this more scientifically. We should have had a three-month trial run or something,” he said.
The economy of the country is not in a position to bear “shocks” like demonetisation and GST within a span of one year, he claimed.
Ther BJP is rattled by the fallout of the new tax regime, he said. “So, there is something seriously wrong. It has to be corrected. I can see it now as a member of the GST Council that the BJP is actually rattled by the consequences of this,” said Manpreet.
SAYS YOU DON’T CUT OFF YOUR NOSE TO SPITE YOUR FACE. NOW THAT THE NATION HAS ADOPTED THE GST REGIME, GOVT SHOULD TRY AND SIMPLIFY IT