Chief Economic Advisor virtually endorsed our view on GST:

Congress today said government's "stubborn" position was responsible for delay in passage of the GST bill despite the Chief Economic Advisor virtually endorsing the Opposition's views on "flaws" in the key reform measure.
Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters that the Goods and Services Tax Bill is being delayed only because the government is "unwilling to step down from its stubborn position".
"We have pointed out three flaws in the bill. The Chief Economic Adviser has virtually endorsed us - not in so many words - virtually endorsed us when he said that 1 per cent was retrograde and the Dispute Resolution Mechanism, he did not comment on it, his silence itself is a comment and he agreed that 16 per cent or so is sufficient for a revenue neutral rate."

He said there is broad support among the business community that these criticisms are legitimate and these flaws must be fixed before the bill is passed.
"I simply do not understand why the government is adamant and is not willing to accommodate these three criticisms or flaws," he said.
On Union Budget 2016-17, he said his first impression or overall impression was that with 282 members of the Lok Sabha and absolute majority, which no government had for 30 years, with two budgets behind them, in the third budget of their government, they should have attempted for structural reforms.

"If they have not attempted bold structural reforms, I am afraid, it is a wasted opportunity," he said.

Replying to a query, Chidambaram said farm income will increase in five years only if issues of price and productivity are addressed.
"This budget is silent on both issues of price and productivity. So, I think Dr. Manmohan Singh is right when he says it is very unlikely that farm income will double in 5 years as claimed by the government," he added.