Goods and Services Tax has come hard on the common man and prices of most of the commodities we buy for our basic necessities have shot up. Do beggars have any choice and we have to buy many commodities at whatever price they are sold. People’s monthly budget have gone for a toss and many families will have to curtail their spending habits on entertainment, vacations and wherever possible to make both ends meet.
GST has become an administrative issue. I guess as the ‘Input Tax Credit’ (ITC) which need to be adjusted in pre-GST prices are not being done by wholesalers and retailers which is the reason why prices have shot up even where GST rates are down or not applicable for many commodities. Anti-profiteering department of the government needs to get active to correct the prices urgently and people too should be imparted basic education on GST rates and laws so that they are not charged exorbitantly by vested interests.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
