GST slabs may be reduced to three to simplify tax system: Sanyal
Kolkata, Aug 4: Principal Economic advisor to the Finance Ministry Sanjeev Sanyal on Saturday said Goods and Services Tax (GST) slabs may be brought down to three along with the exemption category in order to further simplify the country's tax regime.
"The lower rate will be five per cent, the middle bracket of 12 and 18 per cent can be combined to a central rate of roundabout 15 per cent and we might have a top rate of 25 percent," he said.
"The central rate of 15 per cent will be applied for the bulk of goods. We are looking to have a simple tax rate with round figures and most of the goods with the same rate," he said.
Currently there are four GST slabs of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent, plus the exempted category which attracts zero per cent GST.
Sanyal said the centre would consider further simplifying the direct tax collection system and reduce the rates if the tax revenues continue to do well.
"As the tax system gets simplified, more and more people will be paying their taxes. The tax collection has significantly gone up since the introduction of GST and now a lot of people are paying direct taxes," he said.
So if the direct tax revenues continue to do well, the centre may further simplify the direct tax system, lower the rates and would ultimately move towards the corporate tax rate of 25 percent," said Sanyal.
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UP Cong chief Ajay Rai hospitalised after fainting, stable
Lucknow (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai was hospitalised here after he fell unconscious due to low sodium levels, party leaders said on Saturday.
They said he was admitted to Medanta Hospital on Friday evening and is stable.
"Ajay Rai was admitted to Medanta Hospital in Lucknow at around 6 pm on Friday after he fell unconscious as his sodium levels had dropped. He fell unconscious at his residence in Lucknow. For the entire day, he was engaged in party programmes and had also gone to the airport," Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi told PTI.
Congress in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Avinash Pande told PTI, "Now, he (Ajay Rai) is stable and I am also reaching Lucknow."
Medanta Hospital Director Dr Rakesh Kapoor told PTI that Rai collapsed at his home on Friday evening and was subsequently admitted to the hospital's emergency ward.
Medical examinations revealed that Rai was suffering from a sodium deficiency and elevated blood pressure. Doctors administered immediate treatment and he is doing significantly better now, Kapoor said.
A team of doctors is monitoring his health. Rai is conversing with others and his condition is stable, he added.
In a post on X late Friday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Rai a speedy recovery.
Rai hails from Varanasi and had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against Modi from the parliamentary constituency. The Congress appointed him as the Uttar Pradesh unit chief in 2023.
