‘Cong will bring new generation GST law’

New Delhi: Terming the slashing of Goods and Services Tax on a host of items as “patchwork” measure, Congress Party on Tuesday said the current design of the GST has defects and if the party is voted to power at Centre in 2019, it will bring in a next generation law.

The GST council had in its 31st meeting last week slashed tax rates for 23 commonly-used items. The rates have been reduced from 18 per cent to 12 and 5 per cent respectively.

Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal on Tuesday claimed that the slashing of GST on a host of items was a “patchwork” measure for the “ill-prepared” introduction of the tax.

“The current design of the GST has defects, and is flawed to the extent that mere tinkering is not the solution. The Congress government at the Centre in 2019 will bring the next generation of GST,” he said.

Mr Badal said that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has always called the GST a “Gabbar Singh Tax”. The GST was hastily implemented without any preparation.

Mr Badal demanded that petrol and electricity be also brought under the ambit of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

“India is the 161st country to introduce a GST like arrangement. If we had to copy, it should have been done with clear concepts. The concepts were not clear, stakeholders were not consulted and there was no technological preparedness,” he added.