Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh today became the ninth state in the country when the assembly approved the state Goods and Services Tax(GST) Bill unanimously. Leader of the Opposition Ram Govind Choudhury, who had moved a notice demanding to send the Bill to the select committee of the house, later withdrew his notice on the request of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The Chief Minister, who tabled the Bill yesterday, starting the debate, sought the cooperation and support of all the members for the Bill. "When all the non-BJP ruled states have passed the GST Bill then, if SP try to oppose it will give a different message in the country," Mr Adityanath said.
Claiming that GST, which is the biggest ever tax reform in India after Independence, will give a new slogan of one nation, one tax regime which will benefit the common people most, he said. Yesterday, the UP assembly had organised a workshop on GST Bill for the members of the both the houses to understand its provisions and enable them to take part in the debate in the house. The workshop was inaugurated by the Chief Minister.
Parliament has already passed the Central Goods and Services Tax Bill, 2017, the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Bill, 2017, the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Bill, 2017, and the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Bill, 2017 during the previous budget session in March this year.
The GST, the single biggest tax reform in India since Independence which subsumes all the indirect taxes levied by the Center and states will come into force from July 1. Before this deadline, all the 29 state assemblies of the India have to pass the state GST bill. So far, eight states have passed the state GST bill. (UNI)
