Puducherry Assembly gives approval for GST Bill 2017

The bill was tabled in the assembly by Chief Minister V Narayanasamy. Members of the ruling and opposition blocks participated in the debate after the bill was tabled and expressed their views on various aspects of the GST mechanisms. They appealed to the Chief Minister to ensure that there was no setback to the revenue flow to the territorial government in the wake of implementation of the GST Act.

Narayanasamy said, Puducherry was part of the GST council and Union Territory had been given the status of a state. He noted that the new tax regime would prevent tax evasion.

The UT government was keen that there should be no disadvantageous impact on Puducherry by the implementation of the GST, he said adding already 80 pc of the traders had expressed willingness to migrate to the GST pattern. 

After the CM presented his reply highlighting the features of the GST the Bill tabled by him was adopted unanimously. A help desk had been set up in the commercial taxes Department to address the woes of the traders and others covered under the GST.

On the two-day meeting of the GST Council to begin under the chairmanship of Finance Minister on Thursday, he said, “It is a crucial meeting as it would decide which commodity will fall in which tax bracket.”