Ahmedabad Firm's Head Arrested For Rs 88 Crore GST Evasion

A local firm's promoter has been arrested for allegedly evading Goods and Services Tax (GST) worth Rs 88 crore by raising fraudulent invoices, officials said Tuesday.

The Congress today released its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, making a slew of promises, including giving Rs 72,000 each to five crore poor families under the ''Nyay'' scheme, filling up 22 lakh government vacancies, bringing a separate budget for farmers and fixing a single moderate GST rate.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi today said that his party's election promise of a minimum income guarantee scheme for the poor is aimed at fixing the "damage" caused by the Narendra Modi government to the country's economy through ill-considered initiatives such as demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The TMC will work for the revival of the Planning Commission, institution of a judicial inquiry into demonetization and a review of the GST if the opposition alliance is voted to power in the Lok Sabha polls, its manifesto released by party supremo Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday presented the BusinessLine Changemaker Of The Year award to Union Minister Arun Jaitley for successfully introducing the Goods and Services Tax (GST), giving the BJP an opportunity to heckle the Congress on social media.

The Election Commission has given approval for holding the upcoming GST Council meeting on March 19 to consider various issues including the implementation of lower GST rates for the real estate sector.

The centre has announced major cuts in the Goods and Services Tax charged on the sale of under construction residential properties - a move that's certain to find favour with middle class voters ahead of the coming elections.

The Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence in Chhattisgarh detected a fraud of Rs 141 crore, said officials. Two persons have also been arrested in this connection.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday wrote to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, demanding postponement of GST Council meeting to be held through video-conference on Wednesday.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi said today that the government is talking about growth without creating any employment and that it is "funding big guys" when small and medium entrepreneurs are the ones who can create jobs.

Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK, which is being wooed by the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, on Monday criticized the Narendra Modi government on various fronts including demonetization, GST, unemployment and farm distress.

The AIADMK today said the central government failed to address the unemployment problem and also attacked it over demonetisation and implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Income tax concessions for individuals, a farm relief package, support for small businesses and possible populist spending measures may be part of the Budget that Finance Minister Piyush Goyal will present today as the government makes a last-ditch attempt to woo voters ahead of the general elections.

The Uttar Pradesh government Monday decided to give state GST exemption to Bollywood blockbuster ''Uri: The Surgical Strike''.