First time after coalition with BJP for the NDA Government at the Centre, the reliable partner as described by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the TDP led by Andhra Pradesh CM Chandra Babu Naidu, has said the Centre is getting bad name after GST.
“Though there is a reduction in effective rates of tax on several goods under GST, there is no corresponding fall in prices of these goods. This is a reflecting the bad image of the Government in the eyes of public”, State’s Finance Minister and important senior most leader of TDP, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu warned officially. On Thursday, he wrote a lengthy letter to the Chairman, GST Council, the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, raising many issues by demanding immediate redressal of problems arouse in post GST era. In his letter, he demanded, "hence, it is requested a robust price control mechanism may be evolved at the Government of India level".
"We had raised certain issues and difficulties faced by the tax payers and the tax authorities during migration, applying for new regulations, opting for composition levy, filing returns, paying taxes etc.", he wrote. "We had also raised the issue of the finances of the Andhra Pradesh State Government, which is in critical stage", he added, "further, it was also requested that the revenue figures of SGST, CGST, IGST and Cess paid, relating not only to the Andhra Pradesh State, but also of all other States be made available on real time on GSTN portal. We had also requested to consider exemption or reduction in rate of tax on certain goods and services used by low income group of people".
The State's Finance Minister has expressed disappointment over non-result of the decisions made in the GST Council. "In this regard, I wish to state, though the GST Council, under the your Chairmanship has been kind enough to accept the issues raised in principle, most of the issues have not yet resolved in practice", he expressed. He requested to review to exempt or to reduce GST on many items apart from Hybrid Cars which are eco-friendly. "These cars are environment friendly and required to be encouraged. The GST is levied not as nlg at the highest slab, but cess is also levied at 15% on par with other costly luxury cars. This is against Government policy of Green environment. Therefore cess may be reduced to 3% to encourage people to purchase these cars", he demanded. He also requested to reduce taxes on Sub-contracts, tamarind, other tribal products like honey, coffee, turmeric etc., dry fish, fishnets, bio-diesel, granite slabs, napa slabs, tractors, natu tobacco cheroot, cotton yarn in hanks, custom rice milling, fried grams etc.