Replying to the discussion on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill 2017 in the State Assembly, Finance Minister Jayant Malaiya said that the history of GST system is quite old.
The State assembly on Wednesday discussed the GST Bill during the day-long special session. This was an extension of the budget session of the Vidhan Sabha.
Malaiya in his address over the GST in the house said that efforts to implement GST in the country in different forms were going on since 2000. The first time it was discussed during the NDA government led by the then PM Atal Behari Vajpayee and a committee headed by the then finance minister Aseem Das Gupta was also constituted at that time.
Malaiya informed the house that the present BJP Government of the centre presented the constitution amendment bill for implementation of GST in both the houses of parliament and the same was cleared by both the houses of parliament. The centre and states have now got the powers to levy taxes over goods and services due to passage of constitution amendment bill.
He informed the house that several awareness workshops have been held by his department to educate all concerned about the new tax regime. "An assistance centre will be set up at the tax headquarters in the state and a help desk will also be available at all tax circle offices of the state," he added.
He further informed that all commercial tax officers have been trained in the new tax regime.