Cong alleges slowdown in GST collections

NEW DELHI: On Friday, Congress voiced concern over the “disappointing” latest GST numbers, urging the government to address the broader economic challenges instead of focusing on taxes like those on popcorn. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said India was stuck in a “pernicious cycle” of low consumption, investment, growth, and wages. He emphasised that the government should shift its focus from minor issues to the complexities of the economy. Ramesh also called for a revised GST system in the upcoming Union budget, proposing income support for the poor and tax relief for the middle class.

He expressed concern over the latest GST data, with a growth of just 3.3 per cent in December, the slowest in over three years. This slowdown, he warned, should not be used as an excuse to cut social welfare programmes like MGNREGA, especially when rural wages are stagnant and

consumption is weak.