Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami hit the streets of Dehradun’s Garhi Cantt Market on Sunday to chat with shopkeepers and traders. His goal? Kick off a public campaign pushing for more use of homegrown Indian products while spreading the word on the latest GST rate cuts.
Dhami didn’t just talk—he listened. He asked locals for their thoughts on the new GST slabs and urged them to share news of the lower rates with friends and family. “Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong leadership, the central government slashed GST on key everyday items and services,” Dhami told the crowd. “This Next Generation GST move brings real relief to people, fires up trade, and gives the economy a big boost.”
He made it clear: Supporting local and indigenous products is everyone’s job. “Buying Swadeshi goods empowers our farmers, artisans, and small traders, while building a stronger India,” Dhami said. For a mountainous state like Uttarakhand, this hits home—its unique local crafts and goods already shine nationwide. Dhami called on everyone to pick local items and get others on board too.
This ties right into what Prime Minister Modi shared earlier in the 126th episode of his popular radio show, Mann Ki Baat. Modi encouraged Indians to make the upcoming festival season special by choosing indigenous products. He spotlighted the ongoing GST Bachat Utsav, a savings fest tied to the tax cuts. “Festivals mean lots of shopping, and with GST Bachat Utsav in full swing, let’s pledge to go local,” Modi said. “You’ll see your celebrations light up even more.”
Modi’s push keeps the government’s Vocal for Local campaign alive, focusing on homegrown manufacturing and India’s self-reliance drive.
The Finance Ministry echoed the excitement in its latest Monthly Economic Update. It said the GST tweaks will spark more consumer spending. At the 56th GST Council meeting, leaders rolled out a simpler two-rate setup: a standard 18% rate, a low 5% merit rate for essentials, and a 40% de-merit rate for a few luxury or harmful items (including past compensation cess, so no extra tax hit overall). These changes kick in on September 22, 2025.
This GST rationalization builds on earlier wins like corporate tax cuts and personal income tax reforms, forming a solid base for India’s economic growth.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wrapped it up nicely earlier this month: The new GST reforms target the everyday needs and dreams of India’s middle class and regular folks.
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