Kashmir Impulse Desk
New Delhi, Oct 08
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday welcomed a fresh package of Goods and Services Tax reforms, saying the measures would speed up decisions, reduce compliance costs and make tax administration more efficient and transparent.
The GST Council approved the reforms at its 57th meeting, including removing tax officials’ arrest powers, raising the threshold for criminal prosecution to Rs 5 crore and introducing faster, largely automated refunds.
“I welcome the new round of GST reforms approved by the GST Council,” Modi said in a post on X.
“The focus is clear: Faster decisions. Lower compliance costs. Automated refunds. Trust-based administration,” he said.
Modi said the measures were in line with the government’s efforts to make GST more efficient, transparent and citizen-friendly.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the decisions after the Council meeting, saying the package also included a reduction in the general penalty from Rs 25,000 to Rs 10,000.
The reforms are intended to simplify compliance and reduce the burden on businesses while strengthening trust between taxpayers and the administration.
