Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Indians to spice up their festive shopping by picking local products during his latest Mann Ki Baat radio show. In the 126th episode, broadcast from New Delhi on September 28, Modi highlighted how choosing indigenous goods can make celebrations even more joyful while supporting the Vocal for Local push.
With festivals like Diwali just around the corner, Modi pointed to the ongoing GST Bachat Utsav – a campaign to save on taxes and boost local buys. “Festivals bring a chain of happiness, and we all love our shopping sprees,” he said. “This time, let’s take a pledge to stick to Indian-made items. You’ll see your festivities light up even brighter.”
This call aligns with India’s drive for self-reliance and stronger domestic manufacturing. The Vocal for Local initiative, a key government program, encourages everyone from shoppers to businesses to prioritize homegrown products and cut down on imports.
On the economic front, recent GST reforms are set to make things easier for consumers. The Ministry of Finance noted in its latest Monthly Economic Update that streamlining the GST structure will fuel spending growth, especially during the festive season. The 56th GST Council meeting rolled out a simpler two-rate system starting September 22, 2025: a standard rate of 18 percent for most items, a lower 5 percent merit rate for essentials, and a 40 percent de-merit rate for select luxury or harmful goods and services. Importantly, this keeps the overall tax burden steady by folding in previous compensation cess rates.
The Finance Ministry called this GST rationalization the “third leg” of major tax overhauls, building on earlier cuts to corporate taxes and personal income taxes. Earlier this month, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman explained that these changes focus on everyday needs and dreams of the middle class and ordinary folks across India.
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