Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Itanagar today to launch the nationwide “GST Bachat Utsav” (GST Savings Festival) and promote the Swadeshi (Made in India) movement, coinciding with the first day of Navratri. The visit highlighted the government’s focus on economic reform and indigenous production.
During the visit, PM Modi unveiled the next-generation Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms, termed GST 2.0, which streamline the previous multi-tier tax system into two main slabs—5% and 18%—with a separate 40% rate for luxury and sin goods. The reform aims to simplify compliance for businesses, lower consumer prices, and boost economic growth. Analysts estimate a short-term revenue loss of around ₹48,000 crore, while predicting an increase in consumption by ₹70,000 crore, potentially generating additional aggregate demand of ₹1.98 lakh crore.
The launch of the GST Bachat Utsav aligns with the festive season, offering financial relief to households. Prime Minister Modi described the initiative as a “double bonanza” for citizens, emphasizing its potential to ease kitchen budgets and benefit women and middle-class families during the celebrations.
In addition to GST reforms, the Prime Minister urged citizens and traders to embrace the Swadeshi movement. During an interaction with local shopkeepers, he distributed placards reading “Garv se Kaho Yeh Swadeshi Hai” (“Say with pride, this is Swadeshi”), encouraging traders to display them prominently in their shops. He stressed the importance of supporting local manufacturing to strengthen economic self-reliance and boost India’s domestic production sector.
While the reforms received praise from several quarters, opposition leaders criticized the GST framework as a “growth-suppressing tax”, pointing to structural inefficiencies and multiple tax slabs that, according to them, hinder economic growth.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh marks a significant step in promoting both economic reform and national pride. With the GST 2.0 initiative aimed at simplifying taxation and reducing consumer costs, and the Swadeshi campaign encouraging the purchase of indigenous products, the government seeks to foster inclusive development and strengthen India’s economic self-reliance as the nation celebrates Navratri.
