The highs, hurdles and the grey areas of one and a half years of GST

Despite the changes in its journey so far, GST hasn't yet embraced petroleum, parts of the real estate and electricity. The required consensus over the issue still eludes the Council

In its one-and-a-half-year-old journey, the goods and services tax (GST) has seen many ups and down. In fact, its start was contentious as well. After much debate, the government had to bow to opposition pressure and take out the contentious tax of up to one per cent on inter-state movement of goods, which was originally planned to benefit the manufacturing states. 

The very fact that GST Council has held 32 sittings shows the level of changes the new tax has undergone to address the woes of various stakeholders. Even if one were to take out 18 meetings, held before the