Festival season sales shot up due to GST reforms : FM

Sale of automobiles and consumers durables saw significant growth during the festival season this year because of the GST reforms, said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Coimbatore on Tuesday (November 11, 2025).

Speaking at a felicitation function organised by the Federation of Tamil Nadu Traders Associations for the Finance Minister for GST 2.0, she said 40.23 lakh units of automobiles were sold in October, which is 40.5% more than the sale during October 2024. Sale of two-wheelers saw a 51% growth. On the first day of the revised GST rates, sale of consumers durables shot up 30-35%, she said.

The government is reviewing the system regularly to simplify it, she said. According to a study by the New Delhi-based CAIT, total sales during September – October this year was worth ₹6 lakh crore and traders saw direct benefit.

In the last one year, the Income Tax exemption limit was increased to ₹12 lakh, the IT filing systems were simplified, and GST reforms were introduced. The Prime Minister constantly looks at measures to reduce the burden for the common man. He wanted the Income Tax exemption ceiling to be increased to ₹12 lakhs. He called for expediting the GST reforms and GST 2.0 was presented to the Council as a Central government proposal. The felicitations should be for the Prime Minister, she said.

AM Vikrama Raja, president of the Federation, said the Government should bring in measures to protect the traders from e-commerce and corporate retailers. It should implement the welfare board for traders. There should be one representative for the southern States who will speak in the Parliament on the demands of the trade and industry. The GST officials should not “crush” the traders who can make minor mistakes in the filings, he said.

The Federation presented the Finance Minister a memorandum with nearly 30 demands.