Congress Manifesto: Country's oldest party promised to bring GST 2.0, said- will give legal guarantee to MSP

The Congress Party has said in its manifesto that the party is committed to rapid development and wealth creation. We have set a target of doubling GDP in the next 10 years. Congress has said that the country's GDP (at constant prices) was about Rs 25 lakh crore in 1990-91. In the next 13 years, during the tenure of the first Congress and then different coalition governments, GDP doubled and reached Rs 50 lakh crore in 2003-04.

The GDP doubled to Rs 100 lakh crore in the ensuing ten years after the UPA government's formation in 2004. However, the BJP and NDA administrations subsequently lost the chance to double the GDP once more in the ensuing ten years. The country's economy would have doubled again to Rs 200 lakh crore in 2023–24, according to Congress, if there had been a Congress government in place for the previous ten years. The Congress claimed that this was not possible and that the GDP could only reach Rs 173 lakh crore by the end of 2023–2024 as a result of the BJP's mismanagement. Congress stated that our party is dedicated to accelerating development and generating wealth in its manifesto.

On GST law, Congress said in its manifesto that Congress will replace the GST laws of the NDA government with GST 2.0. Congress said that the new system of GST will be based on universally accepted principles. GST will be a single, moderate rate (with a few exceptions) that will not burden the poor. Congress has said in its manifesto that GST will not be imposed on inputs from the agricultural sector. Congress has said that the GST Council will be reconstituted and it will be the final authority for policy and all other matters related to GST.

Congress has said that the administration related to the GST law will be divided horizontally between the central and state governments. Small GST payers will be placed under the state governments. A portion of the GST revenue will also be allocated to panchayats and municipalities. Tax relief will be given to shopkeepers and small retailers who face tough competition due to online business. Congress has said in its manifesto that the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, GST Appellate Tribunal and Customs Appellate Tribunal will be completely autonomous institutions and the government will have no control over them.

Congress has said in its manifesto that it will give a legal guarantee to the Minimum Support Price (MSP) announced by the government every year as per the recommendation of the Swaminathan Commission. The Congress Party has issued its manifesto saying that under the National Social Assistance Programme, the Central Government's contribution towards pension for senior citizens, widows and disabled people is Rs 200 to Rs 500 per month. It will be increased to Rs 1,000 per month.