 "Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi. (Image: News18)")
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has described the Goods and Services Tax (GST) 2.0 reforms as one of the most greatest milestones in India’s economic history, saying they strengthened trust between states, businesses and citizens while boosting national revenues.
Speaking in an exclusive conversation with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, Shah said GST unified 16 different taxes, including octroi, excise, sales, and entertainment levies, into a single electronic tax system.
He highlighted the introduction of e-way bills and over 200 subsequent adjustments that streamlined the process and resolved early hurdles.
“As this continued, the nation’s income grew, going from Rs 80,000 crore to Rs 2 lakh crore,” Shah said.
He added that higher revenues allowed the government to reduce taxes on more than 395 items, with many essentials moved into the 0% or 5% brackets. Key sectors such as exports, health, agriculture, and employment received tax relief, while everyday expenses such as insurance, farm goods, and vehicles also became more affordable.
“Such a major tax relief was never seen before,” Shah said, crediting GST reforms for driving these benefits.