Haryana CM hails tax simplification at GST meeting

New Delhi [India], September 3 (ANI): Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has said that 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 talking to reporters after addressing the 56th meeting of the GST Council held in New Delhi today.
The meeting 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.
In response to a question, the Chief Minister said that GST rates have been rationalized on food items, healthcare and agricultural equipment, fertilizer inputs, renewable energy, textiles, and other commonly used goods.
Saini said that this move will provide significant relief to farmers, entrepreneurs, service providers, and the general public.
He said that the reduction in GST on food items will help lower prices, control inflation, and make nutritious food more accessible to the common man. He specifically highlighted the reduction in GST rates on tractors and their parts, stating that this measure will lower input costs for farmers, promote the adoption of modern machinery, and contribute to the modernization of agriculture.
Expressing gratitude to the Central Government and the GST Council, Saini said that it has been proposed to reduce the GST rate on dairy products such as packaged milk and cheese from 5 per cent to zero.
Similarly, the rate on ghee, butter, and dry fruits is proposed to be reduced from 12 percent to 5 percent. He added that the complete abolition of GST on common food items will provide a significant boost to Haryana's desi food businesses. These proposals will not only boost Haryana's food processing industry but also strengthen the entire value chain from agriculture to the consumer, he added.
The Chief Minister described the GST, implemented in 2017 under the leadership of Prime Minister Sh Narendra Modi, as the country's biggest economic reform since independence. He stated that 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 has risen from Rs 18,910 crore in the financial year 2018-19 to Rs 39,743 crore in 2024-25, reflecting a remarkable increase of 110 percent. Despite having a relatively small population and geographical size, Haryana has emerged as one of the leading tax-collecting states and ranked fifth among the larger states in terms of total gross GST collection for 2024-25.
Saini further said that the Central Government's proposal to reduce GST rates on commonly used items is highly commendable. He urged representatives of both the Central and State Governments to ensure that the benefits of these rate reductions effectively reach the end. (ANI)