By Adnan Ali
Modi government had claimed that Goods and Services Tax (GST) is economic revolution in 2017. Finance minister Arun Jaitely also made huge promises and said that it will help government to collect more tax.
The need to increase tax was directly linked to BJP’s prior promises of evicting black money out of India. It was important that more people should come in the ambit of tax and it becomes difficult for them to hide their black money.
However, GST didn’t helped in increasing tax collection rate. Instead there were increased problems caused to businessmen and labourers.
From 2006-07 to 2011-12 there was an increase of 16.5% per year in tax collection. However, from 2012-13 to 2017-18 this tax collection growth rate reduced down to 13.8%.
If we assume that GDP growth under NDA governement was more than that under UPA government, then why didn’t that showed effect on tax collection?
There were allegations of corruption on UPA governement, there was no development under their governement.
Still, under Modi governement the conditions have worsened. How will they justify making public ‘fool’ by putting up false claims?
