Union Education Minister and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday described the GST Reforms 2.0 as a ‘historic step’ of the Centre, which would strengthen the economy from the grassroots to the national level while making essential goods more affordable for common people.
Speaking at the ‘Convention 2.0 Forum-2025’ on GST reforms organised by Sambalpur Chamber of Commerce, Pradhan highlighted the key decisions of the 56th GST Council meeting and said the simplification of tax procedures brought unprecedented transformation, with Odisha standing to gain significantly from it.
Tracing the journey of GST, he said the system was introduced in 2017 amid criticism but was later welcomed as a unifying measure under the principle of ‘One Nation, One Tax’. GST reforms and rationalisation of tax rates will accelerate growth in key sectors, strengthen economy and usher in a new era of ease of living, he said.
The union minister underlined India’s growing global stature, noting that the country has overtaken Germany to become the world’s fourth-largest economy with a GDP of $4.2 trillion. Within next 2-3 years, India will be a $7 trillion economy and the third-largest globally, he asserted.
“India’s exports have risen by 77 per cent from $466 billion in 2013-14 to $824.9 billion today, while the number of investors has tripled from 4.9 crore in 2019 to 13.2 crore in five years. FDI inflows have doubled from $36 billion to $81 billion, and GST collections have climbed from Rs 11 lakh crore in 2020 to Rs 22 lakh crore today, with an average of Rs 2 lakh crore collected monthly,” he said.
Explaining the sectoral impact of GST 2.0, Pradhan said daily-use items would become cheaper, while middle-class families, farmers, MSMEs, women and youths would directly benefit from it. GST on kendu leaves has been slashed from 18 per cent to 5 per cent, supporting over 15 lakh workers in the sector. Similarly, GST on yarn has been reduced from 12 per cent to 5 per cent, benefiting Odisha’s weavers.
He pointed out that GST concessions on agricultural machinery, fertiliser inputs as well as exemptions on health and life insurance services, medicines and educational supplies would ease the burden on farmers, households and students. “These reforms will control inflation, promote circular economy and boost India’s growth,” he said.
The union minister also spoke about Odisha’s record rice production and the need to create a global market for it. He suggested positioning Sambalpur as a hub for the ‘new-age economy’ with a focus on promoting local products such as Sambalpuri sarees, textiles and agro-goods under a Sambalpuri brand.
Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik and Sambalpur MLA Jaynarayan Mishra were present.
