GST reforms to power Viksit Bharat, says Gujarat CM

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said that the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms, initiated under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will accelerate the vision of Viksit Bharat and help position India as a leading global manufacturing hub.Addressing a video conference from Gandhinagar with the state’s industrial and business organisations and leading industrialists, Patel stressed that GST reforms and the ‘Vocal for Local – Swadeshi’ campaign are central theme to India’s path of self-reliance.

#WATCH | ‘Vocal for Local’ gets industry push in Gujarat GST meet#Gujarat #GST #VocalForLocal #Swadeshi #MakeInIndia pic.twitter.com/OAtrmpR83i

— ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2025

Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai, Industry Minister Balvantsinh Rajput, Ministers of State Harsh Sanghavi and Jagdish Vishwakarma, along with around 225 industrial organisations and over 3,500 businessmen from across the state, participated in the conference.Patel noted that Modi has reduced tax slabs and encouraged a focus on indigenous products. “If we collectively ensure that the benefits of GST reduction reach the people, the savings festival envisioned by the Prime Minister will be realised in its true sense,” he said.
He urged industry leaders to accelerate local production so that goods produced by India’s youth and artisans gain a wider market, advancing the ‘Vocal for Local’ mission. Patel pointed to India’s rising manufacturing strength, highlighting that mobile phone exports jumped from USD 0.2 billion in 2014-15 to USD 15.6 billion in 2023-24, while engineering goods exports touched USD 109.32 billion in the last fiscal. He also emphasised progress in emerging areas such as semiconductors, underlining the government’s focus on reducing imports and boosting exports.Industry Minister Balvantsinh Rajput said that GST simplified the earlier complex tax system involving both central and state levies. “GST revenue has increased to 22.8 lakh crore, and this rise, along with simplification, will drive GDP growth and boost the sale of indigenous goods,” he added.
Minister of State for MSMEs Jagdish Vishwakarma explained that the conference aimed to gather suggestions from the industry on GST reforms, Vocal for Local, and the Swadeshi campaign. He thanked Patel for initiating this engagement with industry stakeholders.Business leaders including Chintan Thakkar of ASSOCHAM, Jinal Mehta of Torrent Power, and Pankaj Patel of the Zydus Group praised Modi’s leadership and described GST reforms as a landmark step. They said the changes in the past decade have significantly improved the business environment and expressed optimism that reforms in sectors such as life-saving drugs, medical technology, renewable energy, and green growth will further enhance the ease of doing business.Senior officials including Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister Hasmukh Adhia, Chief Secretary Pankaj Joshi, Principal Secretary of Industry Mamta Verma, Additional Principal Secretary Avantika Singh, and Industries Commissioner P. Swaroop also joined the conference.

(State Correspondent)