CM Gupta attends 56th GST Council meeting

New Delhi: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday joined Chief Ministers and Finance Ministers from several states, including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Jharkhand, at the 56th meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council.

The meeting was chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the presence of senior officials from the Finance Ministry, the Revenue Department, and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gupta highlighted the importance of the discussions and the opportunity to push for reforms that could ease compliance and boost economic activity. “Participated in the 56th meeting of the GST Council held under the chairmanship of the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman,” she wrote.

Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day address, the Chief Minister said the vision of reforms must align with his call for inclusive growth. “The Prime Minister had called from the ramparts of the Red Fort that this year, Diwali will also symbolize reforms that provide convenience to the common people, strength to entrepreneurs, and new energy to the economy,” Gupta stated.

She underlined that the ongoing discussions carry long-term significance. “This meeting is becoming an important opportunity to set a new direction for GST reforms in the country,” she added.

The Council meeting saw participation from a wide range of stakeholders, including state finance leaders and central authorities, with deliberations aimed at strengthening the GST framework, easing taxpayer compliance, and enhancing revenues.

The GST Council, the apex decision-making body for the indirect tax system, meets periodically to review rates, exemptions, and structural reforms.