Mamata govt postpones GST discussions in assembly

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SME Times News Bureau | 27 Aug, 2016
The West Bengal government has, for the time being, shelved the plan to discuss the GST (Goods and Services Tax) Constitution Amendment Bill in the ongoing special assembly session that began on Friday, a ruling legislator said.

"In the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting of the state assembly comprising all party members, held on Friday, has decided that the resolution on the GST bill for discussion will be taken up at the suitable time," government chief whip Nirmal Ghosh told IANS.

"It was decided the bill would be ratified but the matter related to when the ratification will done is the prerogative of the state," he said adding members needed more time to discuss GST among them.

The special session would continue till August 30.

The GST constitution amendment bill was passed in finally passed by parliament in early August. In a process to make it a law, the bill will have to be ratified by at least 15 of the 29 state assemblies before going for President's assent. Gujarat, Assam, Bihar and Jharkhand have already ratified the GST bill. The centre is keen to roll the GST from the beginning of the next fiscal.

According to oppositions, the discussion for GST Amendment Bill along other issues was scheduled to be discussed on August 29 but it was dropped after the BAC meeting.

However, Ghosh said the discussion on the issues relating to rename West Bengal as "Bengal", the central government's "step-motherly" attitude towards the state and spread of dengue would be discussed on Monday.

The decision came at a time when the state government has been alleging that options of states are being bullosed in the name of cooperative federalism. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also alleged that the situation in the country was worse than emergency now.