Manipur Congress Chief slams GST’s ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach

Manipur Congress president Keisham Meghachandra on Friday said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime poses significant challenges for the state, as its economic and infrastructural conditions differ vastly from the rest of the country.

In a post on X, Keisham wrote: "GST — A One-Nation Tax That Overlooks Manipur's Unique Realities. Manipur is likely to face grave difficulties following the passage of the amendment to the State GST in Parliament yesterday."

He argued that the GST framework has been especially tough for small, landlocked, and socio-economically fragile states like Manipur.

“The ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach of GST does not serve the interests of small, landlocked, and socio-economically fragile states like Manipur,” he said.

Keisham noted that GST stripped states of the power to levy independent taxes such as VAT or entry tax. For Manipur, he said, this meant a loss of financial flexibility at a time when local needs require tailored economic policies.

The Wangjing MLA claimed that local industries, artisans, and farmers — many of whom earlier benefited from tax exemptions — are now burdened by uniform GST slabs. Products like handloom goods, bamboo crafts, and other small-scale items have moved into taxable categories, raising prices and reducing competitiveness.

As GST is an online-based system, Keisham added, many parts of Manipur still face digital connectivity challenges, making compliance difficult for small traders, shopkeepers, and rural entrepreneurs.

He urged the Centre and the GST Council to:

• Review the GST framework with a region-sensitive lens
• Restore fiscal space for small states
• Ensure timely compensation payments
• Simplify compliance for small traders
• Create differential tax slabs for economically backward and geographically isolated states

"It is time the voice of Manipur is heard in the GST debate," he concluded.