NEW DELHI: The GST 2.0 reforms, which kicked in on Monday, saw a tremendous response from shopkeepers, auto dealers and every Indian household.
Arriving in perfect sync with the first day of Navratri, the reformed tax regime gave the common man a direct reason to rejoice with lower prices, simplified slabs and immediate relief on daily essentials.
PM Narendra Modi called GST 2.0 "a reform dedicated to the people of India", and true to his words, it felt less like a dry policy change and more like a festive bonanza. Car showrooms witnessed serpentine queues, online carts overflowed with orders and buzzed with record-breaking festive sales.
The automobile sector stole the spotlight with historic numbers. Under the new GST structure, smaller sub-4 metre cars were moved into the 18 per cent slab, while the compensation cess on automobiles was completely removed.
On Day 1 of GST 2.0, Maruti recorded 80, 000 enquiries and delivered 30, 000 cars, its highest single-day performance in 35 years. Bookings for small cars surged 50 per cent compared to usual festival season rates.
Dealer billings for Hyundai also shot up, 11, 000 on that single day, representing its best performance in five years. Tata Motors also recorded 10, 000 car deliveries and over 25, 000 enquiries on the first day of Navaratri, marking a strong start to the festive season, with a noticeable increase in showroom walk-ins, higher conversions, and a growing order book.
For countless families, GST 2.0 transformed long-postponed dreams into reality. Automobiles became not just more accessible, but a true festive purchase.
The excitement extended to the digital marketplace, where shoppers rushed to stock up on fashion, home essentials, and festive must-haves.