Around 99% of goods under the 12% GST slab have moved to 5%

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said the next generation GST reforms will infuse Rs 2 lakh crore into the economy, leaving people with more cash in hand that otherwise would have gone as taxes.

Addressing the Outreach and Interaction Program on Next Gen GST Reforms, she also said, following the tax reforms, 99 per cent of goods under the 12 per cent GST slab have moved to five per cent. The rejig has resulted in 90 per cent items under 28 per cent tax slab slipping into the 18 per cent bracket.

She said several companies, including some FMCG giants, are voluntarily coming forward to give rate cuts and pass on the benefit to consumers even before September 22, the implementation date for the new GST regime.

"With this new gen tax regime, with only two slabs (5 per cent and 18 per cent), Rs 2 lakh crore is injected into the economy. People will have cash in hand," she said.

She said before undertaking the rate rejig, the NDA government kept five filters- reduction of rate for poor and middle class, fulfilling aspirations of middle class, benefiting farmers community, pro-MSME and sectors that are useful for the country in creating jobs and export potential.

The minister highlighted that the GST revenues grew to Rs 22.08 lakh crore in 2025 from Rs 7.19 lakh crore in 2018 (FY 2017-18). According to Sitharaman, the taxpayer's number grew to 1.51 crore from the earlier 65 lakh. Sitharaman said the GST Council is a prime example of cooperative federalism, noting it is the only constitutional body created since independence.

‘`3.6 lakh cr given under 50-yr interest free loan to 22 states’

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said about Rs 3.6 lakh crore was given to 22 states so far under 50-year interest-free assistance. Addressing CII GCC Business Summit here, she also said India's capital investment grew to 4.1 per cent (including states) of the GDP in 2024-25 from 1.7 per cent in 2013-14. "The central government has also provided 50-year interest-free assistance to the state governments so that they can have their capital assets increased (with) money to spend on them. The Centre has given 50-year interest-free money to all states and the total of what has been given is about 3.6 lakh crore till now. That is the last four years. "And 22 states have actually used it, resulting in recording more than 10 per cent growth in capital expenditure from their own resources," she said.