PM Modi described the GST as one more pearl in the necklace of Ek Bharat - much on the lines of the Railways, the All India Services, and visions such as Bharat Net and Sagarmala.

With GST, we intend to bring uniformity in taxation, said the Prime Minister, adding that the consumer would be supreme in the new dispensation. The Prime Minister mentioned the judicious use of man, money, machine, material and minutes (time) as an important principle of sound economic policy, and said GST would aid in achieving this.

The Prime Minister said GST would also help bring in real time data, as its strength was in technology. He said most of the things that can impact consumer inflation have been kept out of the ambit of GST. He said GST would help reduce corruption in collection, as well as the cost of collection.

The Prime Minister asserted that small businesses will also gain tremendously from GST, and will feel more secure with GST.

The Prime Minister said that the Government is focusing on economic and educational empowerment of the poor, so that we can mitigate poverty.
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