New GST Rates highlights : PM Narendra Modi, in open letter, appeals shopkeepers to sell ‘Made in India products’

Gujarat home minister has claimed new rates have prompted long lines at shops in the state.
“Due to the new GST rates, there are queues at shops everywhere, people are happy, people are demanding indigenous goods,” Harsh Sanghvi said.

Chief minister A Revanth Reddy has demanded that the Union government compensate for the revenue loss of ₹7000 crore to Telangana with the introduction of the new GST structure of rate rationalisation. The Chief Minister said that the GST rate rationalisation will have an adverse impact on the state revenues. The Centre should come to the rescue of the states that bear the brunt of the new GST structure.
"We are demanding the centre to address the concerns raised by the Telangana State on losing revenues after the introduction of the GST rate rationalisation," Telangana CMO said in a statement.

BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari has claimed that every shopkeeper ‘is thanking PM Modi’ for the GST reforms.
"Bachat Diwas is starting from today, the first day of Navratri. I have been to many markets today. I have noticed that there is excitement among shopkeepers as prices of daily-use items have reduced. Every shopkeeper is thanking Modi ji for putting more money in the pockets of the common man. Every person from the middle class is thanking PM Modi today. There is also a call for adopting indigenous products," Bhandari said.

BJP's Jagdambika Pal has claimed that tax slabs reduced for the first time since independence.
"In the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, a decision was taken to provide exemption in GST. After independence, tax slabs in the country have consistently increased; however, this is the first time that taxes on medicines, life-saving drugs, insurance, and automobiles have been reduced simultaneously. This is a historic decision," Pal said

Chirag Paswan thanked PM Modi and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman for GST reform.
"When I first took charge of the Food Processing department after taking the oath, all the businessmen and industry leaders associated with this sector had only one demand from the past year: to revise the GST rates...I would like to thank PM Modi and Nirmala Sitharaman on behalf of my party, the people of Bihar and the people of the country for accepting this demand...This is a huge relief to the consumers," Paswan said.

PM Modi in an open letter to Indians, appealed to all shopkeepers to sell ‘made in India’ products.
“I appeal to shopkeepers to sell 'Made in India' products; let us proudly say -- 'what we buy is swadeshi, what we sell is swadeshi',” the open letter read.

Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini said that the GST reforms will benefit lots of people, including farmers
“Today, Prime Minister Modi has given a very big gift to the people of the country through GST reforms, which has benefited people a lot. We have also launched the GST Savings Festival today... GST has been reduced on farmers' equipment, and GST has been set to zero on daily use items... This decision of Prime Minister Modi will benefit people a lot. GST has been reduced on medicines and insurance,” Nayab Singh Saini said.

BJP leader Tarun Chugh called the GST reforms ‘historic work’ done by PM Narendra Modi.
"Prime Minister Modi has done a historic work. Almost 2.5 lakh crore rupees have been reduced in GST. These 2.5 lakh crore rupees will become the strength of MSMEs. This will provide significant relief to the middle class... 99% of things have been reduced to a 5% rate... Voices are coming from everywhere that we will promote indigenous products and boost Indian industries," the BJP leader told the media.

New GST Rates LIVE Updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed the Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms, which are being rolled out today, saying that they will brighten smiles in every home.

“From markets to households, GST Bachat Utsav brings a festive buzz, ensuring lower costs and brighter smiles in every home!” PM Modi wrote on X as he shared front-page coverage in newspapers of the reforms.

Rajendra Bhatia, former president of the Poona Merchant Chamber, called the GST reforms"a great gift" for Diwali.

What we demanded for a long time has been fulfilled, and this is a great gift during Diwali... The cost of the products will be reduced by ₹150-200... I request the Maharashtra government to reduce the 1% market cess..."

New GST Rates LIVE Updates: Union Minister Nityanand Rai said that PM Narendra Modi ‘made things cheaper’ with the new GST reforms.
"In PM Modi's vision, there has always been this approach that everyday items should be cheaper. So, for the poor and the middle class, PM Modi has made things cheaper... When cheaper items are available, it will have a great impact on people's lives and they will benefit... People are very happy about this."

New GST Rates LIVE Updates: The new reforms might be a boon for car buyers.

"There has been a huge impact on the sub-4 metre cars. Earlier, there was a 28% GST on them. But now, post GST 2.0, it is reduced to 18%. The customer is getting a benefit of more than ₹one lakh," a car showroom manager said.

New GST Rates LIVE Updates: CREDAI-MCHI secretary Rushi Mehta called the new GST reforms ‘a great sign’ for real estate industry.
"Our Honourable PM announced the GST Mahotsav and has provided benefits by reducing GST rates to 5 percent and 18 percent... This is a great sign for the real estate industry," Mehta told PTI.

New GST Rates LIVE Updates: AAP reacted to the implementation of GST reform, saying that the BJP ‘should apologise’ for the ‘mistake’ it committed 8 years ago.
"When GST was implemented, the entire Opposition had pointed out that it would destroy the small and medium-scale industry and affect the growth rate, and there would be a rise in inflation. GST was imposed on the country for 8 years. Today, the BJP should accept that they had made a mistake then," AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj said.

New GST Rates LIVE Updates: Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA) DG Prashant Girbane said that the new GST reforms are ‘more than a rate cut’. He said that the reforms would boost consumption.
"It was long due and I am very glad that this has happened. What has happened essentially, instead of many rates in 2017, we brought it down to four or five rates. Now we are saying, primarily there are only two rates, 5 % and 18%. If it's a luxury and sin goods which is very very few things, that's 40 % and quite a few things also at 0%... It boosts consumption... and the whole positive cycle starts running, and that's a wonderful thing... There is something more than just the rate cut here," he told ANI.

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took a jibe at the opposition's criticism of the new GST reforms.
"...Our opposition partners are not happy with these savings and reforms. During their rule, no work was done, let alone reforms... UPA taxed cement at 30% and now it is at 18%... Sanitary pads were taxed by UPA at 13% and now they have zero tax... The tax on coffee has been reduced from 30% to 5%..."

UP Congress chief Ajay Rai indirectly credited Rahul Gandhi for the GST reforms
"When GST was implemented 8 years ago, our leader Rahul Gandhi said that this is not in the interest of the country and the traders. This Gabbar Singh Tax destroy trade and traders... At that time, senior BJP leaders were not going and meeting the traders to tell them the losses they will likely suffer and the taxes that will be levied," Rai told ANI.

Chief business officer of Policybazaar.com, Amit Chhabra, said that the GST reforms are an “extremely beneficial move” for customers because of the “18% instant discount on health insurance and life insurance.”

“Govt has come out and endorsed that there is no GST now on health insurance and life insurance. I feel, this is an extremely positive move because the Govt is saying that it is a mandatory product and it must be bought by every citizen of the country,” Chhabra told ANI.

Manish Bandlish, Director of Mother Dairy, said the GST reforms are a “good step for both companies and consumers.” “Now, all our products have either come under a zero per cent or a five per cent slab. The implementation has been done, and the consumer will benefit from it from today,” Bandlish told ANI.

Speaking on the new GST reforms, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said they would bring “a new pace” to the Indian economy. “…The common consumers will celebrate the festivals with great fervor... When the consumption increases, production will increase and new jobs will also be made...” he said.

“We established communication with the consumers, businessmen, and others and carrying out awareness campaigns and one slogan is rising from everywhere - ‘Ghati GST, Mila Uphaar, Dhanyawaad Modi Sarkaar’,” the UP CM said.

Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said that the agriculture products would now be more afforable as the GST rate reduction comes into effect. “Up to ₹23,000 will be saved on small tractors used for gardening and upto ₹63,000 on big tractors. Upto ₹1.87 Lakhs will be saved on the combined harvesters,” Chouhan told ANI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that with the roll out of the GST reforms on the first day of Navratri, people will receive “true double bonanza” this festive season. The Prime Minister attended a ‘Bachat Utsav’ event in Arunachal Pradesh earlier today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday attended the ‘Bachat Utsav’ event in Arunachal Pradesh's Itanagar, wherein he met with various artisans and industry leaders in the state.

The GST reduction also applies to statues, statuettes, original engravings, prints, lithographs, ornamental articles, stone art ware, and stone inlay work. The GST on these will reduce from 12% to 5%. This will provide support to artisans, craftsmen, and sculptors, with many of them being part of India's cottage industries, according to a PIB factsheet.