A single-rate GST is neither doable nor desirable in India

The Congress manifesto promises to work towards a single GST rate. It won’t happen anytime soon. It has also promised to bring petroleum under goods and services tax. Again, a non-starter, when petro-taxes are the single biggest flexible revenue source for the centre and states. The two objectives are contradictory. If you want a single GST rate, bringing petrol and diesel under GST…