Etala expressed disappointment over GST

Hyderabad June 12: The Telangana State Govt has not satisfied in the reduction in tax rates of 66 items in the GST Council meeting held in New Delhi on Sunday.

Telangana finance minister Etala Rajender, who took part in the meeting, expressed disappointment over the GST Council for not considering the representations submitted by the TS government.

He said the state had sought tax rate reductions on 34 items, but the GST Council approved only two."Only our representations on tax cuts on spectacles and entertainment industry were approved in today’s meeting. Our major representations on exempting tax on Mission Bhagiratha and irrigation projects were ignored. Our other crucial representations on lowering tax on hotels, granite industry, affordable housing, small scale industries, bidi industry etc. were not considered," Mr Rajender said.



However, he said, the state government will try to secure a few more tax exemptions or reductions in the next meeting of the GST Council on June 18.

"We are upset at the outcome of the today’s GST Council meeting. But this is not the last meeting as was planned earlier. It was decided to meet again on June 18 to resolve pending issues. We will take up remaining issues in the next meeting," Mr Rajender said.