On the eve of the implementation of GST 2.0 reforms, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged Indians to take benefit of rate cuts on most consumer goods but prefer to buy and promote locally-made goods.
Modi wished the nation on Navratri and spoke on the lines of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' and 'Next-Generation GST reforms'. He said the first day of Navratri, falling on Sept. 22, will mark the beginning of 'GST Bachat Utsav' in India.
"From tomorrow, the festival of Navratri is starting. I extend my best wishes to you. From the first day of Navratri, the country is taking an important step towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Tomorrow, on the first day of Navratri, Next-Generation GST reforms will come into effect with sunrise," PM Modi said.
He said the 'GST Bachat Utsav' will bring happiness to every family and will accelerate India's growth story. "Your savings will increase and you will be able to buy your favourite things. GST Bachat Utsav' will benefit all sections of the society," he told the nation.
PM Modi On Tax Then vs Tax Now
In 2014, when he became Prime Minister, PM Modi said a foreign newspaper reported on a company that found it easier to ship goods from Bengaluru to Europe and then to Hyderabad rather than directly across the 570 km distance. He explained this was due to the complex and numerous taxes and tolls at the time, which made domestic transport difficult and expensive. He stated that the high costs were ultimately passed on to the poor and other customers for whom it was a burden. He said that it was crucial to free the country from this complicated system.
Modi said that GST was one of the biggest economic reforms in independent India as it freed the country from a complex web of multiple taxes. Modi said, "When India embarked on GST reform in 2017, it marked the beginning of changing an old history and creating a new one. For decades, our country's people and our country's traders were entangled in a web of various taxes. Octroi, entry tax, sales tax, excise, VAT, service tax—dozens of such taxes existed in our country. To send goods from one city to another, we had to cross countless checkpoints. With GST, we can now say we are 'One Nation One Tax'".
Key Highlights Of PM Modi's Speech
Here are the key points Prime Ministere Modi touched upon in his address to the nation:
GST has fulfilled the dream of ‘one nation, one tax’.
Earlier tax and tolls were not uniform and created a lot of hassles for businesses and consumers. GST 2.0 has eliminated that.
Daily essentials, medicines, and insurance will become cheaper under GST reforms.
"GST Bachat Utsav" starting Sept. 22 will increase savings and bring happiness to everyone section of society.
India’s growth story will flourish with ease of business, atmanirbharta.
Urges nation to buy swadeshi good even if it is a small thing like a comb. Be proud that you buy or sell swadeshi. Being self-sufficient is the only way to reach 'Viksit Bharat.'
Tells state to be an equal partner in India’s development journey. Asks them to create an atmosphere of investing in goods and services, push manufacturing and MSMEs.
Modi said the 'transformational' tax reforms undertaken by the NDA government have significantly lowered the financial burden on Indian households. The prime minister stressed that these reforms were part of the broader agenda to build a Viksit Bharat, where youth, enterprise, and health are key national priorities.
He said the government's guiding principle was 'Nagarik Devo Bhava' (Citizen is God), and reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare of every Indian.
Watch PM Modi's Full Address To The Nation
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