HYDERABAD: IT minister KT Rama Rao said the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) will impose additional burden of `2,000 crore on state government’s flagship programme, Mission Bhagiratha, aimed at providing piped drinking water to each household. Hence, he disclosed that the government had urged the Centre to exempt Bhagiratha from GST.
He said he had urged the Union finance minister Arun Jaitley to exempt drinking water schemes, irrigation projects, weaker section housing schemes and textiles from higher slab rates in GST. He represented TS during the 17th GST Council meeting held in New Delhi on Sunday.
According to KTR, Jaitley promised him that if TS government sends a detailed report seeking GST exemption, the Centre would positively look into the issue.