Straight talk

The recent change of guard at the Empowered Committee (EC) of State Finance Ministers has not impacted the way states oppose the Centre’s draft on the impending Goods & Services Tax, but it has certainly changed how the panel interacts with the media. Unlike his predecessor Asim Dasgupta, new EC chairman Sushil Modi communicates with the media in a more formal manner. After the last EC meeting, he held a formal briefing with reporters in the conference hall. Later, a detailed press release was issued — another thing that never happened in Dasgupta’s regime.