India, Sept. 6 -- An expected spurt in consumption once the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates take effect from September 22, coinciding with the festival season, will most probably help the government meet its revenue, and fiscal deficit, targets by the end of the financial year without any expenditure cuts, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Sitharaman said the finance ministry would continue with reforms and that she would recommend to the GST council, the apex body on indirect taxes, that rates should be changed only once in the fiscal year to make it easier for companies to plan for the entire year.

Her comments came two days after the GST Council approved the most sw...