GST reforms have advanced Diwali mood by 15 days: Modi

DWARKA: The nation got yet another bold display of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fierce sense of conviction, self-belief and determination at a public meeting on Saturday, when he made a brilliant defence of the Government’s handling of the Indian economy, with special reference to the recently introduced goods and services tax. “Today, I have seen newspapers from across the country. They carry headlines that Diwali has come 15 days earlier,” he said referring to the significant changes made in the GST system by his Government on Friday to give relief to small and medium businesses.

The Prime Minister asserted that the Union Government does not want the country’s business class to get caught in red-tape and described the latest strategic measures related to GST as “some very important decisions”. “You all must be busy preparing for Diwali, and in Gujarat, Diwali is celebrated with great enthusiasm, especially among businessmen,” he said while addressing a public gathering here.

On Friday, just over three months after the launch of the new indirect tax regime, the GST Council made major changes to give relief to small and medium businesses on filing and payment of taxes, eased rules for exporters and cut tax rates on more than two dozen items. Modi added that the government had earlier stated that it will study the GST for three months following its implementation and then fix the problems.

“(We had said)... wherever there are problems in these three months, as in the areas of management, shortage of technology, problems related to rules, complaints regarding rates, trouble in practical experience of business class, we will address it,” he said. “We do not want the country’s business class to get caught in red tapism, files, bureaucracy, I will never want this,” Modi said.

“I am happy that it (the GST revision) has been welcomed in one voice across the country,” he added. “I can experience this and I am thankful to the people of the country for the way they have welcomed our effort to make simple tax simpler,” said Modi.

“The Government of India is taking steps towards the empowerment of fishermen. We do not want our fishermen to live in poverty, we want to create more opportunities for them,” he added.

“The Kandla Port is seeing unprecedented growth. This is because we devoted resources to improve the port. New lease of life was added to Alang; steps were taken for the welfare of the labourers working there. These are the steps we are taking towards development”, Modi said.

He also announced that a Marine Police Training Institute will come up at Devbhoomi Dwarka district. “Marine policing is a sector we are looking at very closely. We are modernising marine security apparatus. An institute for this will be set up in Devbhoomi Dwarka. It will draw people and experts from all over India,” he said.

Modi laid the foundation for a 2.32 km four-lane cable-stayed bridge between Okha and Beyt Dwarka and said it was a link between the old and new Dwarka. The bridge, which includes 900 metres of central double span cable-stayed portion, will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 962.43 crore.