Haryana CM hails tax simplification at GST meeting

New Delhi [India], September 24 (HBTV): Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said several significant decisions were taken during the GST Council meeting held in the national capital on Wednesday.

These include the rationalization of the tax structure, reduction in tax rates on essential goods used by the common man, improvement in the classification of tax rates, simplification of the registration process, exemption of life and health insurance including reinsurance from taxation, and the abolition of cess to provide relief to citizens. He added that the Haryana government has extended its full support to all these decisions.

The Chief Minister was speaking to reporters after addressing the 56th meeting of the GST Council in New Delhi, which was chaired by Union Finance Minister and GST Council Chairperson Nirmala Sitharaman and attended by finance ministers of states and Union Territories, along with GST Council members.

Saini said that GST rates have been rationalized on food items, healthcare and agricultural equipment, fertilizer inputs, renewable energy, textiles, and other commonly used goods. He added that this move will provide significant relief to farmers, entrepreneurs, service providers, and the general public.

Highlighting the impact on agriculture, the Chief Minister said that reduction in GST on tractors and their parts will lower input costs for farmers, promote adoption of modern machinery, and contribute to agricultural modernization. He also noted proposals to reduce GST on dairy products such as packaged milk and cheese from 5 per cent to zero, and on ghee, butter, and dry fruits from 12 per cent to 5 per cent, which will boost Haryana’s food processing industry and strengthen the value chain from agriculture to consumers.

Saini described GST, implemented in 2017 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as the country’s biggest economic reform since independence. He said it has made the tax system simpler and more transparent, eliminated trade barriers between states, and realized the vision of ‘One India – One Tax – One Market’.

He highlighted that Haryana’s net SGST collection rose from INR 18,910 crore in 2018-19 to INR 39,743 crore in 2024-25, a growth of 110 per cent, making the state one of the leading tax-collecting states despite its relatively small population and area. Saini praised the Central Government’s proposal to reduce GST rates on commonly used items and urged officials to ensure the benefits reach the end consumers effectively.

(ANI)