Bhubaneswar: Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal on Monday welcomed the rollout of the Centre’s “Next Generation GST Reform”, calling it a transformative step for the nation’s economy and a “festive gift” for the people.
Addressing a press conference at the party’s state headquarters, Samal expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the reforms would bring “historic changes” to the lives of common people by reducing household expenses and easing the tax burden.
“Prices of essential commodities will come down, providing relief to poor and middle-class families. The income tax relief and GST exemptions announced within a year are a double gift from the double-engine government,” Samal said.
He described the reform as a landmark economic measure, aimed at uplifting the poor, lower-middle-class, and middle-class citizens while moving towards the vision of Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047.
Samal said that nearly 99% of items in the 12% GST slab have been reduced to 5%, while about 90% of goods under the 28% slab now fall in the 18% category. This, he said, would reduce living costs, boost savings, and strengthen domestic demand.
The Odisha BJP chief highlighted key beneficiaries, noting that farmers would gain from reduced GST on agricultural equipment, irrigation machinery, and small tractors (now taxed at 5%), while health insurance, life insurance, and life-saving drugs including cancer medicines have been exempted from GST entirely.
He also underlined the reforms’ potential impact on Odisha, saying that agriculture, handloom, tourism, and coal sectors would see significant benefits. The GST cut on textiles from 18% to 5% would support lakhs of weavers, while the removal of cess on coal could enhance the state’s revenue.
Calling the reform a “revolutionary economic step,” Samal said GST 2.0 would open new opportunities for youth, create jobs, and build momentum for India’s growth story.
The reforms were approved with the consensus of all states at the 56th GST Council meeting on September 3.
“This is not just a festive gift ahead of Dussehra and Diwali, but a transformative milestone in India’s economic journey under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership,” Samal added.
