TS PASSES CENTRE’S GST BILL

The Telangana State Assembly on Tuesday ratified the constitutional amendment enabling the GST (Goods and Service Tax) Bill, thus joining a clutch of states which have already approved legislation that will pave the way for roll-out of a single and unified tax system in the country.

Thanking all parties for supporting the bill, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao informed the House about the Centre’s assurance of compensating losses to states for a period of five years.

Introducing the Bill in a special Assembly session, Mr Rao stated that 150 countries were following the GST mode of taxation already.

A full-fledged 10-day monsoon session of the TS Assembly has been convened from September 20.

The Business Advisory Committee, chaired by Assembly Speaker S. Madhusudhna Chary took the decision after the Assembly unanimously ratified the Constitution Amendment Bill on GST on Tuesday.

The Assembly was adjourned sine die after the passage of the GST and three other Bills.

The Opposition, especially the Telugu Desam, slammed the government for convening the special session for the GST Bill but passing three more Bills ignoring burning public issues like the drought0like conditions across TS, reorganisation of districts, agreement with Maharashtra, pending instalment of loan waiver scheme, 2BHK houses, KG-to-PG, 3acre land for dalits and other issues.

The Speaker informed Floors leaders of the TRS, Congress, MIM, BJP, TD, CPM and MIM that the present session could not be continued due to the Ganesh Chaturthi.