Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, July 15: Maintaining that Goods and Services Tax (GST) will benefit the J&K immensely, Union Minister of State in PMO with independent charge of North Eastern States, Dr Jitendra Singh today reiterated that there was no option for the State except the implementation of GST.
Addressing the members of traders fraternity and Chartered Accountants during an interactive session organised by BJP at its Headquarters here at Trikuta Nagar, Dr Jitendra Singh termed the GST most meticulously and diligently crafted legislation in the history of independent India and the J&K could not have afforded to remain without implementation of the new Tax law.
Giving full credit to launch of one nation one tax to Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, Dr Jitendra Singh said the Finance Ministers of different parties in GST Council though having ideological differences and some with political reasons were too opposed to its implementation, however, showed unanimity during the GST Council meetings. The GST will not only bring a change in the society and politics of the country but also among the people in long run, he added.
Taking a dig at opposition Congress, Dr Jitendra Singh said former PM, Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru’s dream Tryst with Democracy which they could not meet in 70 years after independence was fulfilled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said the mid night of June 2017 was the beginning of India’s Federal Democracy after launching the GST which is the most democratically concluded reform of independent India.
Without naming Congress or Sonia Gandhi, Dr Jitendra Singh said that Modi Government has restored the prestige of PMO which otherwise was restricted to an unconstitutional address during previous times.
Responding to query by some traders regarding abolition of Toll Tax at Lakhanpur as in one State there can be no two taxes, he said there is no logic of Toll Tax after GST implementation.
He asked BJP leadership not be in denial mode and candidly accept that Narendra Modi during Chief Minster of Gujarat had opposed GST as there were many apprehensions to the people of the State because Congress which worked on it during last 10 years had left some issues unanswered especially the manufacturing States’ concerns were not addressed by them.
“But the Modi Government came with a guarantee that in case the revenue is distributed among the States then Centre in that case will return its share”.
Maintaining that it is now time that the BJP has to talk honesty about GST instead of spreading canards, Dr Jitendra Singh said under GST the tax pool will now increase as every one has to make registration and there will be more money in coffers and legitimate money will increase.
He regretted that among 1.25 billion people of India only 33 lakh were tax payers and rest all are poor. “If such is the situation then how can we claim to be become part of global world.”
The Union Minister said the GST will increase tax network and also will change our behaviour. “If a person purchases Rs one crore vehicle and pays Rs 17 lakh for getting a special number then why he can’t pay 28 percent GST”?, he asked.
Dr Jitendra Sing said first time mention of GST was made by P Chaidambaram in his budget but they failed to implement it. He said those who boycotted the launching ceremony of GST will some day repent of not becoming part of this historical event.
The exhaustive interactive session was organised by BJP Professional Cell with prominent traders, manufacturers, Tax consultants, Chartered Accountants and members of civil society. The session was attended by BJP State president and MLA Sat Sharma along with Dr. Jitendra Singh, Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly Kavinder Gupta, Party chief whip & MLA Rajesh Gupta and State general secretaries Harinder Gupta and Pawan Khajuria, All Cells Incharge Varinderjit Singh, Trader Cell Convenor Kulbhushan Mohtra along with Central Excise Commissioner Gian Sagar, Vijay Mohan Jain and CAs Deepak Kapahi, Anil Sharma, Jitesh Arora and Lalit Gupta.
Sat Sharma in his address at the session said that the party at the national level has decided to hold informative and interactive session with various stake holders of the Indian economy in the length and breadth of the country, so that various apprehensions and misgivings as also ignorance about GST is removed from the mind of the public. He said that the introduction of GST in the entire country is to simplify the tax collection procedure and reduce the paper work of the traders. The GST does away with the multiple tax system at various stages of goods from manufacturing to the consuming stage. Only one tax shall be levied which shall be shared equally with the State from where the tax has been received and this will be a great boon to Jammu and Kashmir State as it is a consuming State.
Gian Sagar, while addressing the gathering congratulated the people of the State on becoming a part of the historical national moment on the 8th of July. He also credited the Union Minister Arun Jaitley for his legal acumen and dedicated effort on the subject for successfully bringing about the epochal tax reform. He termed the GST as good and simple tax which does away with multiple tax system giving great impetus to the nationally economic and well being of the public.
Deepak Kapahi convenor CA Cell, Anil Sharma co-convenor CA Cell Jitesh Arora and Lalit Gupta Chartered Accountant highlighted the various facets of the GST and cleared many cobwebs of confusion, misinformation and ignorance of the new tax setup. The participants put many questions to these Chartered Accountants on various issues.
Harinder Gupta carried the proceedings of the stage during the programme.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
