Lucknow, Sept. 21 -- Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech on the implementation of next-generation GST reforms on Sunday, stating that the GST budget festival has arrived and that the poor can now purchase expensive items.

Speaking to ANI, the UP Deputy CM said, "First, one nation, one tax GST was implemented. Now, the GST budget festival has arrived. The poor can also buy expensive things because they no longer have to pay the price they had to pay before."

He further praised PM Modi for linking the reforms to the idea of Swadeshi, recalling that Mahatma Gandhi first initiated the movement during the freedom struggle. "Prime Minister Modi has called for adopting Swadeshi...