Council with states’ participation decides on GST, efforts to simplify rules on, says FM Nirmala

COIMBATORE: Reeling under a barrage of criticisms over GST and its implementation, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday claimed that efforts are on to simplify the tax structure.

On a day when anomalies in the levy of GST were trending on social media, especially a question by an entrepreneur on how a bun has no GST but the cream applied on it has one, the FM asserted that decisions at the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council meeting were made with the consensus of all states and not unilaterally.

“The GST council, which has a minister nominated from every state including those ruled by opposition parties, has been studying the prevailing issues. The BJP has taken all decisions on GST issues in the council meeting, in the presence of representatives from all states,” she said at an event organised by Coimbatore South BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan.

The government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the GST is simple and to reduce the burden on people, she added.

On the ongoing row over levying GST for medical insurance, Nirmala Sitharaman said even before the implementation of GST, tax was imposed on medical insurance.

She also rubbished talks of states like Tamil Nadu getting low returns for the tax paid through GST. “If Tamil Nadu needs more returns, then it should only make a demand to the finance commission, which decides on the allocation for each state. But what will happen, if each district in Tamil Nadu makes similar demands to the state government,” she raised a counter-question.

Meanwhile, she said that states like Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are creating hurdles in implementing the central government’s schemes out of fear that the BJP may earn a good name.

On the Chief Minister’s US visit to attract investments, Nirmala Sitharaman told the media, “Let’s see, finally, how many industries are coming to Tamil Nadu.”

Slamming Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for meeting those against India during his US visit, the Finance Minister said the DMK should question Rahul Gandhi over his anti-India actions.