P Chidambaram Slams Centre Over GST, Says Govt Woke Up After 8 Yrs

On GST Reforms, Former Union Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram hits out at the government, calling the eight-year delay in cutting GST rates a “costly mistake”. Chidambaram said that when the GST law was implemented eight years ago, several leaders, including himself, had warned against high tax slabs. Even the then Chief Economic Advisor, Arvind Subramanian, had advised against it. After years of imposing 12% and 18% GST on essential goods, the government has now reduced the rates to 5%. Chidambaram appreciates the correction but criticizes the Centre for “squeezing the middle class and poor for eight long years