Bengaluru
“The flaws in the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) have caused hardship to the public for nearly nine years,” said M.B. Patil, Minister for Heavy and Medium Industries, on Friday. Speaking to reporters at his residence in Sadashivanagar, Patil stated that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had long highlighted issues in the GST framework, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi only recently acted to correct them, leaving citizens to struggle unnecessarily for nearly a decade.
Patil welcomed the two-phase GST reforms recently implemented but emphasized that the delay in addressing systemic issues was a significant oversight by the central leadership. He added that while Maharashtra ranked first in attracting foreign investment in the last quarter, Karnataka aims to continue as a preferred investment destination.
Commenting on international trade, Patil said that the U.S. tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump do not impact India’s electronics, pharmaceutical, and service sectors. However, he criticized Modi’s approach, noting that despite cordial relations with Trump, Indian industries bore the brunt of high tariffs. Patil urged the Prime Minister to press the U.S. to reduce tariffs from 50% to 25%, noting that earlier crude oil imports from Russia were cheaper under Manmohan Singh’s tenure, yet fuel and LPG prices have nearly doubled today.
On local projects, Patil addressed the Krishna Malnad land acquisition scheme, noting that Rs 90,000 crore is needed for the project, requiring resettlement of 20 villages. He reassured that private developers will not exploit farmers and that all stakeholders will be consulted for fair implementation.
Patil also clarified that the Chief Minister and his family had no role in the MUDA case, as confirmed by a one-member commission and the Supreme Court. On election matters, he stated that while the state government decided to reintroduce ballot voting for local body polls, decisions on EVM usage in state and national elections remain under the Election Commission’s jurisdiction.
