GST 2.0 more than a tax reform, focused on ease of living & ease of doing biz, says minister

NEW DELHI: GST 2.0 is more than a tax reform—it is about improving the ease of living for households and the ease of doing business for enterprises, said Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Law and Justice, while addressing FICCI-CASCADE’s MASCRADE 2025 conference on Thursday.

Highlighting the simplification brought in by the reform, he said, “From filing 37 GST returns in a year in 2017 to only three today, this shows how governance can truly respond to industry’s voice. At the same time, we must clearly define illicit trade and work collectively to eliminate it. I assure you that recommendations emerging from MASCRADE 2025 will be taken to the Government and acted upon.”

Anil Rajput, Chairman, FICCI CASCADE, said, “I congratulate our Hon’ble Prime Minister for announcing the historic and bold GST 2.0 reforms, which is another step toward Viksit Bharat. GST 2017 transformed our taxation landscape, and now GST 2.0 builds on that foundation with simplified rate structures and greater efficiency. GST 2.0 truly embodies the vision of ‘One Nation, One Tax.’ At FICCI CASCADE, we have long advocated for rational tax structures to reduce illicit trade. High tax rates create price gaps that fuel smuggling and counterfeiting. GST 2.0 addresses these concerns, and I urge policymakers to continue keeping the structure balanced to discourage illicit markets.” The conference also saw the unveiling of ‘SHIELD,’ a strategic framework against illicit trade, and the release of a FICCI CASCADE–TARI report, ‘Decoding the Journey of GST Reforms,’ which underscores GST 2.0 as a milestone in reshaping India’s indirect tax system.