Bengaluru, Aug 28 (UNI) Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Lok Sabha MP Basavaraj Bommai today praised union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for spearheading the next-generation Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms, calling them a “major milestone” in India’s economic development and a catalyst for broad-based growth.
In a letter to the Finance Minister, Bommai highlighted that the ongoing GST reforms, particularly the rationalisation and simplification of tax slabs, are expected to significantly enhance compliance, expand the tax base, and attract more businesses into the formal economy.
Bommai said that these reforms will strengthen tax buoyancy and contribute to higher GDP growth, potentially enabling India to achieve double-digit expansion in the near future.
Bommai emphasised that the next-generation reforms are a direct outcome of collaborative policy-making and proactive leadership. He recalled his tenure as Chief Minister, during which he headed a ministerial group that made several suggestions on GST rationalisation. These recommendations, Bommai noted, were taken up by the present GST Council under Finance Minister Sitharaman’s personal supervision, reflecting a commitment to consultative governance.
The former Chief Minister further acknowledged that GST, initially met with hesitation by several states, has gradually emerged as a unifying tool for both the Centre and states. The improvement in tax collection, he said, has been a win-win for all stakeholders, and the unanimous decisions of the GST Council underscore the strength of India’s federal structure and cooperative governance.
Bommai also praised the broader economic reforms implemented under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, describing them as critical to building a vibrant and resilient economy. He noted that GST is not only a pillar of revenue but also a driver of economic growth, formalisation of business, and ease of doing business across India.
Bommai also expressed confidence that the country is on a trajectory to move from the world’s fourth-largest economy to the third-largest, fulfilling the Prime Minister’s vision of a Vikshit Bharat. He credited Sitharaman for her key role in consolidating economic reforms and strengthening the nation’s fiscal framework.
