Annapoorna Hotel owner humorously highlights GST inconsistencies to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during a meeting in Coimbatore, using local delicacy 'bun' as an example.
Coimbatore: In a meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at the Codissia complex in Coimbatore, a local hotelier's witty complaint about Goods and Services Tax (GST) inconsistencies has gone viral, bringing both laughter and attention to a serious issue.
The owner of Annapoorna Hotel, speaking in Kongu Tamil dialect, humorously pointed out the GST anomaly using a popular local snack. "There's no GST on bun, but if we put cream inside it, it becomes 18%," he quipped, adding that customers now ask for the bun and cream separately to avoid the higher tax rate.
The hotelier's clever use of the humble 'bun' to illustrate the complexities of the GST system not only drew laughter from the audience but also highlighted the challenges faced by small businesses. He went on to explain that such inconsistencies make it difficult to conduct business smoothly and requested a more uniform application of GST rates across products.
The Finance Minister's meeting with business representatives in Coimbatore was part of her efforts to engage with local industries and understand their concerns. The Annapoorna Hotel owner's presentation stood out for its humor and effectiveness in communicating a complex issue in simple, relatable terms.
This incident has since gone viral on social media, with many praising the hotelier's innovative approach to addressing a serious economic issue. It has also reignited discussions about the need for further simplification and rationalization of the GST structure to benefit small and medium enterprises.