Bengal FM against GST hike for mobiles

New Delhi: West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra has written to finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman cautioning against raising goods and services tax rates for mobile phones, fertilizers, man-made yarn, fibre among others, to 18%, given the weak state of the economy and the possible impact on jobs.

In the letter, Mitra said that the proposal should not be considered in the GST Council meeting on Saturday. "May I urge you not to make any changes in the rate structure in these perilous economic times, particularly keeping in mind the interest of the common people," the state finance minister said.