Ex-CM Gogoi opposes GST exemption for NE states

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI, Sept 28: Former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday opposed the Central Government decision on Goods and Service Tax (GST) exemption for North East which is fixed at 10 lacs, while exemption limit for rest of country has been fixed at 20 lacs. “It will lead to lot of complicacy for small traders and common men, who will have to pay more prices for all the essential commodities. Though the state Government will earn more revenue by agreeing to this GST proposal, but it will not help common people and will not be in the interest of common people and small traders,” Gogoi said. It may be mentioned that the GST Council had decided in the first meeting held at New Delhi recently that businesses in the Northeastern and hill states with annual turnover below Rs.10 lakh would be out of the GST net, while the threshold for the exemption in the rest of India would be an annual turnover of Rs.20 lakh.