Rebirth for GST bill as govt accepts Cong terms for its passage

Parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu meets Cong chief Sonia Gandhi to discuss the legislation

GN Staff | January 7, 2016


#gst bill   #goods and servics tax   #venkaiah naidu   #sonia gandhi   #congress  

The all important GST bill (goods and services tax bill) may get passed soon with the government agreeing to the conditions set by the Congress party to support the landmark tax reforms legislation.

Parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu today met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and sought cooperation for the early passage of the crucial GST bill and the Real Estate bill. Naidu conveyed that the government was ready for an early budget session if the parties agree.

Naidu drove down to the residence of Sonia Gandhi at 10, Janpath here early today and held discussions with her for about 20 minutes during which the Congress president is learnt to have asked him about the government's view on the three main suggestions given by the Congress on GST.

“Sonia said they (Congress) will discuss among themselves and take a final decision,” Naidu said. The Congress press team was not immediately available for comment.

The Congress party, the original author of the tax reform, has opposed what it calls the “flawed” version now before Parliament, where it has been able to block a key constitutional enabling amendment in the upper house. It wants the government to cap the GST rate at less than 20%, scrap a proposed state levy and create an independent mechanism to resolve disputes on revenue sharing between states.

Regarding the Real Estate bill, Naidu told Gandhi that as decided by Congress and other parties, the Bill was referred to a select committee of Rajya Sabha and the government had accepted almost all recommendations of the committee.
 

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