The recent reforms in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) system have been hailed as a historic decision by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
Effective from the start of Navratri, these changes mark a significant milestone, with the Prime Minister announcing them on Independence Day. Ahead of Diwali, PM Narendra Modi has simplified the GST framework, providing a major relief to the public by reducing the tax burden.
In the ongoing monsoon session of the Odisha Assembly on Monday, CM Majhi moved a resolution expressing deep gratitude to the Prime Minister for this initiative. “Our government has simplified the GST system and lightened the tax load on people’s shoulders,” Majhi stated. He highlighted that the GST Council’s 56th meeting involved over 11.5 hours of discussions to address concerns from all states. Key benefits include making health and life insurance tax-exempt, which will greatly aid the middle and lower-middle classes. The tax on kendu leaves has been reduced to 5%, benefiting pluckers and traders in Odisha. Agricultural machinery taxes have been lowered in this agriculture-dependent state, and taxes on numerous medicines have been cut. Over 150 items, including dairy products, will see price reductions due to lower taxes, and educational materials have also become cheaper.
Opposition members, however, raised concerns. BJD legislator Ranendra Pratap Swain argued that crediting the decision solely to one person is unfair, criticizing the CM for excessively praising the PM. “It took eight years for this decision, during which Rs 57 lakh crore was extracted from the poor’s pockets,” Swain said, accusing the BJP of seeking political advantage. He recalled that Modi had initially opposed GST and questioned the delay in simplification, demanding tax exemptions on essentials like rice and flattened rice, as well as full tax waiver on kendu leaves.
Another BJD MLA, Dr. Arun Kumar Sahu, suggested the reforms were timed for the Bihar elections, questioning the government’s inaction from 2017 to 2025. Fellow opposition members Ganeshwar Behera and Dhruba Charan Sahu also participated in the debate. From the ruling side, Tankadhar Tripathy accused the opposition of misleading Odisha’s people. BJP MLAs Amar Nayak and Pratap Chandra Nayak joined the discussion, thanking the PM for the GST reforms.
The debate remained inconclusive, and the House was adjourned until 10:30 AM on Tuesday.
