New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said the next-generation GST reforms is a step towards making India Aatmanirbhar and the central government looks at building consensus with states in the coming weeks.

The Centre's proposal on GST reforms is based on three pillars-- structural reforms, rate rationalisation and ease of living, she said.

During a meeting with GoMs on rate rationalisation, insurance taxation and compensation cess, Sitharaman "emphasised that the proposal by the Central Government is with a vision to usher in the next generation of GST reforms in India's journey towards becoming #AtmanirbharBharat." The three GoMs will over two days deliberate on the Centre's 'next-gen' GST reforms under which tax will be levied at 5 and 18 per cent rates. A special 40 per cent rate has been proposed on 5-7 items, including sin goods.

"The Central Government remains committed to building a broad-based consensus with the States in the coming weeks to implement the next generation of GST reforms in the spirit of cooperative federalism," the finance ministry said in a post on X.

GST is currently levied at 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent. While food and essential items are either at nil or 5 per cent rate, luxury and demerit goods are in 28 per cent slab, with a cess on top of it.

The finance minister's address to the GoMs was for about 20 minutes during which she elaborated on the Centre's proposal. PTI JD ANU ANU

GST reform proposal advances rate rationalisation and structural changes, seeking state consensus for implementation under cooperative federalism. The Central Government proposes next-generation GST reforms founded on three pillars-structural reforms, rate rationalisation and ease of living-using rate rationalisation as the mechanism to simplify the tax structure and designate a narrow set of goods for a distinct higher rate. Implementation is to proceed through deliberation by three Groups of Ministers and by building broad-based consensus with States under the principle of cooperative federalism.