Industries Minister Bikram Singh attended the 37th Meeting of Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council held at Goa, today.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presided over the meeting in which Industries Minister while expressing his views said that geographical condition of Himachal Pradesh is different from other States. He said that Himachal Pradesh has limited resources and there are not many big trading centres in the State. He said that one of the basic principles of GST i.e. “Business to consumer” provides the Right of tax collection and our State is deprived of it.
He said that the people of State have to purchase big machineries, Commercial and Domestic vehicles, Fast Moving Consumer Goods etc. from the adjoining cities like Delhi, Chandigarh and Punjab due to lack of large trading centres in the State which deprives the State of its share of IGST and it is also against the basic principle of the GST.
He said that to strengthen the economy of the State, various issues have been taken up with the Union Government. Speaking on the occasion, Minister emphasised that under GST all kinds of tax should be imposed on all the purchases but we have not been given this right. He also requested Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur to approve the full right as per the Agenda item No. 7(III) of the basic principle of GST.
Industries Minister Bikram Singh also presented Kullu Shawl and Kangra Tea to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Principal Secretary, Excise and Taxation Sanjay Kundu, Commissioner Excise and Taxation Ajay Sharma were also present in the meeting.
