Attending the 57th GST Council meeting chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at New Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam, Himachal Pradesh welcomed taxpayer-friendly compliance reforms while firmly pushing for key state priorities. The state supported measures aimed at streamlining registration, returns, refunds, and assessments, particularly those benefitting small taxpayers, defense sectors, CSD canteens, and local toll collection exemptions.
However, the state cautioned against over-simplification that could compromise revenue protection or weaken tax enforcement. Himachal Pradesh emphasized that regulatory ease must be balanced with strict measures against fraud and evasion, ensuring legitimate public revenues remain protected.
To secure long-term fiscal stability, Himachal Pradesh reiterated its demand for full revenue compensation, calling for guaranteed 14% year-on-year growth protection until actual state collections match target thresholds.
Finally, the state urged the Council to establish a dedicated Group of Ministers (GoM) for Hilly States to address distinct regional challenges. It also pressed for a tax rate reduction on Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) to correct duty inversion, eliminate credit bottlenecks, and support the domestic pharma industry.
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