New Delhi [India], March 24 (ANI):
Lok Sabha
On Monday, discussions resumed regarding the Finance Bill, 2025, during which opposition members accused the government of offering “piecemeal fixes” and having an “incomplete Goods and Services Tax (GST)” system.
BJP
Members praising the government’s economic achievements, stating that the nation’s GDP has increased over two-fold within the past decade.

Initiating the discussion,
Congress
MP
Shashi Tharoor
indicated that the government’s handling of economic matters is fraught with long-standing structural issues.

He criticized the Finance Minister casually.
Nirmala Sitharaman
“. Examining this year’s Finance Bill… I believe she has adjusted her stance somewhat. Now, she is informing taxpayers, ‘Since I couldn’t fix the roof, consider this an umbrella for protection.’ ThisFinanceBill exemplifies piecemeal approaches during a period when the country requires clear vision, unwavering resolve, and strong leadership. The administration’s handling ofeconomicmanagementis grappling with deeply entrenchedstructuralchallenges. Growth forecasts have been reduced, double-digit expansion seems out of reach, and aspirations for sustainingahealthygrowthrateare diminishing,” he stated.

“Increased participation in agriculture among our populace is at an all-time high, whereas manufacturing has decreased to about 15 percent of the GDP. Individuals earning five or six times the average income are also finding it challenging to sustain their lifestyle. Thus, achieving ‘Developed India’ by 2047 is a commendable aim over the next 25 years; however, how will this finance bill help us reach that goal?” Tharoor questioned.

He stated that it has taken the government many years to understand that merely two percent of Indians, those who diligently pay their taxes, have been bearing the weight of this nation on their shoulders.

Salaried individuals from the middle class are currently shouldering a greater burden compared to corporations, as their contributions increased significantly without corresponding actions being taken. This fiscal year has seen an uptick in corporate taxes by approximately eight percent; however, individual and non-corporate taxes have surged by twenty-one percent. Finally, after this extended period, the administration has decided to offer certain tax relief measures for these salaried members of the middle class. Essentially, it is ordinary citizens who bear much of the governmental funding load—through various indirect levies like the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Our taxation framework not only features extraordinarily high rates but also holds the unenviable title of having one of the most intricate systems globally. It’s worth noting that despite seventy-seven nations implementing GST, many apply just one or two rate brackets.

BJP
MP
Nishikant Dubey
mentioned that the Union Budget advantages the average citizen.

“Led by the Prime Minister, the nation’s economy has grown over twofold in the past decade, and the
Congress
Has no link to the country’s economic situation. The budget that aids ordinary citizens and workers has only been introduced during the Modi administration,” Dubey stated.

The tax-to-GDP ratio has reached an all-time peak.
Congress
, which exonerated those implicated in the corruption related to the Bofors scandal, is now calling for a tax accounting.
Congress
“which levied taxes as high as 94 percent on the citizens of this nation, has never benefited the average person,” he claimed.

“The Modi government has reduced taxes on imported generic medicines and lowered import duties on machines used in fish farming and handloom industries,” he added.

Trinamool
Congress
MP
Mahua Moitra
charged the government with incompetence.

Albert Einstein once remarked that the most challenging aspect of life is comprehending income tax. Likewise, we struggle to grasp how this administration’s tax policies continue to exacerbate the significant gap between two versions of India. There is one version for the affluent and well-connected, akin to Kuber’s realm, and an entirely different reality for ordinary citizens—a situation they attribute to poor economic management under this government—much like Vishwakarma’s experience among the common people,” stated Moitra.

She noted that as per data from the Finance Ministry, around eight crore individuals submit tax returns annually, with merely 56 lakh earning above 15 lakhs each year.

In December 2024, responding to a parliamentary query, the Finance Ministry stated that there are 8 crores of taxpayers within this nation. However, among them, merely 56 lakhs earn over 15 lakhs annually. This group of 56 lakhs drives India’s entrepreneurship and service sectors; they alone contribute significantly through direct income tax payments. Under the revised system, anyone earning up to 12.5 lakhs yearly will not owe any tax. It must be noted that taxation remains feasible for just these 56 lakhs from an overall populace of 140 crores. Despite this, our country maintains a substantial Income Tax Department endowed with unusually expansive investigative capabilities akin to policing powers along with unrestricted discretionary authority, all supposedly justified as part of their enforcement role,” he remarked.
TMC
MP said.

“At least 5.6 million individuals benefit from a tiered taxation system; however, the remaining population of India, referred to as Vishwakarma India, does not receive such benefits. For these 1.39 billion inhabitants within Vishwakarma’s India, Goods and Services Tax (GST) acts as an equalizer yet in a highly regressive manner. During fiscal year 2023-24, the Indian government gathered approximately ₹20 trillion through GST, amounting to roughly ₹15,000 per individual. Consequently, whether one is a billionaire or earns wages on a daily basis, they all incur GST when purchasing necessities like food, transportation, and basic goods. No measures have been implemented to lessen this financial strain. Moreover, discussions around decreasing duties on essentials remain absent along with plans aimed at ensuring equitable wealth allocation,” she concluded.

The discussion will carry on into tomorrow. (ANI)