The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today described the Goods and Services Tax (GST) as a “Great Step by Team India,” a “Great Step Towards Transformation,” and a “Great Step Towards Transparency.”
He was intervening during the debate in the Lok Sabha on the GST Bill.
The Prime Minister noted the date – 8th August – and recalled that in 1942, on this very day Mahatma Gandhi had given the call for the Quit India Movement. He said that today, the country would begin its march towards freedom from tax terrorism.
He described the imminent passage of the Bill as a victory not for any political party, but for Indian democracy.
Recalling the discussions and parleys on the Goods and Services Tax, the Prime Minister said that he had invited both Ms. Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to discuss the same. He noted that one of them was a Lok Sabha MP and the other was a Rajya Sabha MP.
The Prime Minister said that the consensus over GST is proving that Rashtraneeti is above Rajneeti (national issues are above politics) in India.
He described the GST as one more pearl in the necklace of Ek Bharat – much on the lines of the Railways, the All India Services, and visions such as Bharat Net and Sagarmala.
With GST, we intend to bring uniformity in taxation, said the Prime Minister, adding that the consumer would be supreme in the new dispensation. The Prime Minister mentioned the judicious use of man, money, machine, material and minutes (time) as an important principle of sound economic policy, and said GST would aid in achieving this.
The Prime Minister said GST would also help bring in real time data, as its strength was in technology. He said most of the things that can impact consumer inflation have been kept out of the ambit of GST. He said GST would help reduce corruption in collection, as well as the cost of collection.
The Prime Minister asserted that small businesses will also gain tremendously from GST, and will feel more secure with GST.
The Prime Minister said that the Government is focusing on economic and educational empowerment of the poor, so that we can mitigate poverty.
Today is 8th August. Under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, the Quit India movement began: PM @narendramodi in the Lok Sabha
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 8, 2016
Today, an important move to free the nation from tax terrorism has begun: PM @narendramodi in the Lok Sabha
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 8, 2016
Want to thank all parties, state governments. We are taking a decision which RS, LS, States have thought about in great detail: PM in LS
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 8, 2016
This can't be seen as a victory of a party or government, it is a win for the democratic ethos of India & a victory for everyone: PM in LS
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 8, 2016
Great Step by Team India, Great Step towards Transformation, Great Steps towards Transparency, this is GST: PM @narendramodi in Lok Sabha
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 8, 2016
Having been a CM, now it became easier for me to address issues that CMs could have faced with the GST: PM @narendramodi in the Lok Sabha
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 8, 2016
Lot of flaws have been overcome as far as the GST is concerned: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 8, 2016
A trust between the Centre & states developed. This was not about a parliamentary majority. This is about consensus: PM @narendramodi in LS
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 8, 2016
Had met both Sonia ji and Manmohan ji. One is a LS MP and other RS MP. Question of treating LS as junior house does not arise: PM in LS
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 8, 2016
Rashtraneeti is bigger than Rajneeti: PM @narendramodi in the Lok Sabha #TransformingIndia
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 8, 2016
Consumer & small businesses will gain tremendously. Small business will feel more secure with this. Small business is our strength: PM in LS
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 8, 2016
Economic and educational empowerment of the poor is what we are focusing on, so that we can mitigate poverty: PM @narendramodi in Lok Sabha
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 8, 2016
