Parliament watch: No GST impact study, govt not considering farm loan waiver, jobs for Agniveers, and SASCI near full disbursal

No GST Impact Study: The finance ministry on Monday informed Parliament that it has not conducted any formal study on the inflationary impact of GST rate rationalisation. “While a specific study on the fiscal impact, consumption patterns and sectoral growth following rate rationalisation has not been undertaken, the reduction in GST rates is expected to provide both direct and indirect relief to consumers and investors,” minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. He added that lower GST rates would reduce the tax burden on essential goods and services, improving affordability, easing the cost of living and supporting household consumption.

Union Govt Not Considering Farm Loan Waiver: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday informed the Lok Sabha that the Union government is not considering any proposal for a comprehensive farm loan waiver scheme. She said agricultural credit disbursement to farmers has been rising steadily, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15% between FY23 and FY25. In a separate reply, minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary said the total outstanding amount in operative Kisan Credit Card (KCC) accounts stood at ₹9.86 lakh crore (provisional) as of December 31, 2025.

Jobs for Agniveers: Skills development minister Jayant Chaudhary on Monday said 25% of Agniveers are absorbed into the armed forces after four years of service, while the remaining 75% return to civilian life as trained, disciplined and skilled individuals with ample job opportunities. He added that opportunities are available for them across the central and state governments, as well as in defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) and other sectors.


SASCI Near Full Disbursal: The Centre has released ₹1.50 lakh crore under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI), out of ₹1.54 lakh crore sanctioned across 9,099 identified projects, the finance ministry informed Parliament on Monday. The unutilised amount from the previous financial year, as reflected in utilisation certificates (UCs), is deducted from the allocation approved under SASCI for the subsequent financial year, minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a reply to the Lok Sabha.