GST: Oppn expresses concerns over high inflation and different tax rates
NEW DELHI: Even while extending in principle support to the GST, the Congress and some other Opposition parties complained that the GST council will intrude into Parliament's legislative sphere.
They also questioned inclusion of anti-profiteering clause in the enabling bills and expressed concerns of GST leading to higher inflation and tax rates in different slabs in conflict with the promised 'one-nation-one-tax' GST system.
Participating in the Lok Sabha debate on enabling bills of GST, Congress leader Veerappa Moily, complained that the government has denied Rajya Sabha its legislative rights by introducing enabling bills of GST as money bills and even called upon Rajya Sabha MPs to quit in protest. "The Upper House is the council of states, yet it has no right to discuss crucial bills. This is an assault on federal structure — I say that all members of the Rajya Sabha must resign," Moily said. "The one-nation-one-tax concept is only a myth. There are too many rates and cesses now. What you brought today cannot be called a game-changer but only a baby step forward," Moily said. Claiming political patent of GST for the erstwhile UPA regime, Moily said BJP blocking the bill when in Opposition had caused major revenue losses.
"Seven to eight years have passed after the erstwhile UPA government wanted to introduce the GST bill. Some parties then felt it should be halted due to reasons best known to them. Due to that delay in rolling out of GST, the country lost around `1.5 lakh crore annually and a total loss of `12 lakh crore." AIADMK appeared to strike a balance. Party MP Venkatesh Babu termed GST as the biggest tax reform initiative post-independence.
"There will be huge revenue loss to manufacturing states like Tamil Nadu. Some of our concerns were addressed while some are yet to be addressed," he said while adding that TN is fully committed to implementing GST. He said that through the GST Council, the central government will get 'veto power' and sought proper representation and powers to all states in it.
Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee said the Bengal government has in-principle supported the GST legislation but expressed concern over thegovernment's'hurry'initsimplementation. BJD's Bhartruhari Mahtab said, "while everybody is saying GST law will be a game-changer we believe that it will be illusionary to expect too much from it...This is a retrograde step."
They also questioned inclusion of anti-profiteering clause in the enabling bills and expressed concerns of GST leading to higher inflation and tax rates in different slabs in conflict with the promised 'one-nation-one-tax' GST system.
Participating in the Lok Sabha debate on enabling bills of GST, Congress leader Veerappa Moily, complained that the government has denied Rajya Sabha its legislative rights by introducing enabling bills of GST as money bills and even called upon Rajya Sabha MPs to quit in protest. "The Upper House is the council of states, yet it has no right to discuss crucial bills. This is an assault on federal structure — I say that all members of the Rajya Sabha must resign," Moily said. "The one-nation-one-tax concept is only a myth. There are too many rates and cesses now. What you brought today cannot be called a game-changer but only a baby step forward," Moily said. Claiming political patent of GST for the erstwhile UPA regime, Moily said BJP blocking the bill when in Opposition had caused major revenue losses.
"Seven to eight years have passed after the erstwhile UPA government wanted to introduce the GST bill. Some parties then felt it should be halted due to reasons best known to them. Due to that delay in rolling out of GST, the country lost around `1.5 lakh crore annually and a total loss of `12 lakh crore." AIADMK appeared to strike a balance. Party MP Venkatesh Babu termed GST as the biggest tax reform initiative post-independence.
"There will be huge revenue loss to manufacturing states like Tamil Nadu. Some of our concerns were addressed while some are yet to be addressed," he said while adding that TN is fully committed to implementing GST. He said that through the GST Council, the central government will get 'veto power' and sought proper representation and powers to all states in it.
Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee said the Bengal government has in-principle supported the GST legislation but expressed concern over thegovernment's'hurry'initsimplementation. BJD's Bhartruhari Mahtab said, "while everybody is saying GST law will be a game-changer we believe that it will be illusionary to expect too much from it...This is a retrograde step."
