New Delhi, Apr 3 (KNN) Arvind Subramanian, Chief Economic Advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has recently made a statement in an interactive session that “it is easy to advocate one uniform GST rates for all goods, but it cannot be done ignoring political realities.”

He said that no country wants to tax essential commodities consumed by poor.

On sharing his own personal views, he said that the India needs more simplicity and thus need is to bring uniformity in GST rates but moving towards that direction political realities can’t be ignored.

He further added that no political system can accept that the BMW cars or cigarettes being taxed at 18 per cent rate.

He commented that the India will progress as long as GST rates are kept relatively clean and simple.

For instance, the 28 per cent GST rate was brought down by GST Council over the period of time because many felt it was high, Subramanian told the media during the session.

“Going forward more such things (reduction in GST rates) will happen,” he added. (With inputs from a media report) (KNN/YV)