It’s good that India wants just two GST slabs⁠ but it has to ensure it doesn’t hurt consumers

Many everyday use products -- from pens to cartons, bags, plastics and cards, stand to get dearer as the government looks to merge the 12% and 18% GST rates. The biggest reason for such rationalisation is correction in the inverted duty structure that leads to difficulties in claiming the net input tax credit. The government is likely to move to just two tax slabs of 5% and 18% over the next 6-18…