GST Council would examine the possibility of merging the 12 and 18% tax rates: Sushil Modi

11 Dec 2017 Evaluate

Giving a hint of rationalization in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) tax rates, GST Council member Sushil Kumar Modi, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar has said the GST Council would examine the possibility of merging the 12 and 18 percent tax rates to a new slab.

He said that 'The GST Council will put an effort to examine the possibility of merging the tax rates of 12 percent and 18 percent to a new slab which will be in between the two tax rates. There are about 50 items in the bracket of the 28 percent tax rate and the number of items can be reduced from the highest rate'. Though, he also said that he is in favour of letting the tax revenues stabilise before the panel considers merger or further rationalising of slabs.

Modi further said once the system stabilises, the Council will look into bringing petroleum products, electricity duty and property stamp duty into the GST fold. However, he remained bullish that revenue for both the Centre and states will grow and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime will stabilise. He said that in the Council’s previous meeting at Guwahati, more than 90 percent of issues related to tax rates have been resolved after the Council brought down 178 items from higher rates to lower one and added that he has given a suggestion to the GST Council that final price tag on items should be inclusive of all taxes and hopes the proposal would be approved by the Council.

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