New Delhi, Sept 14 (HS): Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has described the Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms as a major victory for every citizen, emphasizing that the benefits will now extend across products used from the start of the day till bedtime.

Speaking at the joint conference of trade and industry associations on Tax Reforms for an Emerging India in Chennai, Sitharaman said that the reforms are being rolled out ahead of schedule. She highlighted that nearly 99 percent of goods that previously attracted a 12 percent GST rate will now fall under the lower 5 percent slab.

The Finance Minister noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had instructed the implementation of reforms before Diwali, but the government decided to advance the timeline further. She announced that the new reforms will come into effect from September 22, coinciding with the first day of Navratri.

Outlining their impact, Sitharaman underlined that GST reforms would now influence almost every aspect of daily life—from the moment people wake up until they retire for the night. She added that this landmark measure reflects the government’s commitment to ease taxation and ensure tangible benefits for citizens nationwide.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar