MADURAI: The visit of Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Mrs.Nirmala Sitharaman to Madurai on July 9th (Sunday) had cleared doubts and removed apprehensions about the historic Goods and Services Tax (GST) indirect tax reform among the traders and businessmen in the region.
She spent nearly two hours patiently listening to various doubts, fears, questions and representations from a wide range of industry / trade bodies at a special dissemination meet on GST organised by trade body MADITSSIA, its affiliated associations and Industrial Estate Association.
“The GST Council sub-committees are meeting regularly. I will speak in Delhi on your requests on products such as hollow bricks, idli flour, agarbathi, matchboxes, recycled products, used plastic etc…Decisions are not taken from Delhi on GST matters. I think your MPs and MLAs will also listen your concerns and voice them at right place,” Mrs.Nirmala Sitharaman has said.
Stating that the fitment of tax rates was done at the nearest rate while finalising the categories, the Union Commerce Minister observed that if too many exemptions to meet local State demands, then “how can we call the GST as one tax?”
RAISE AT GST COUNCIL MEETINGS:
She appealed to the trading community and the general public not to believe in wrong and sarcastic comments spread by some sections on burger and ‘kadalamittai.’ etc.
“The Finance Minister of every State in the country will represent in the GST Council. This council has representation of 29 States, seven Union Territories and the Union Finance Minister will be there. So, State specific problems can be brought to the notice of GST council at its meetings,” she assured.
Pointing out that every State was consulted during the long process of fixing rates under GST, Mrs.Nirmala Sitharaman has said that the council has been entrusted powers to decide on rates in future.
COMPENSATION TO STATES:
Informing that it was only now the concerns of manufacturing States such as Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Punjab, Karnataka and Haryana have been addressed, the Union Minister said that compensation for manufacturing States was approved by Modi government only.
“The earlier government at the Centre did not take decision on compensation. Now you can see that the fears have been allayed. Manufacturing States get compensation now and remember that GST is consumption-based tax,” the Union Minister said in her replies to questions.
Mr.R.Saravanakumar, GST Commissioner, Mr.Murari, MADITSSIA president, Prof.Dr.R.Srinivasan, BJP Tamil Nadu State Secretary, Mr.KR.Gnanasambandhan, trade and industry expert and auditor Sundaram were among those who spoke and brought certain issues to the Union Minister’s attention.
Mr.Saseeraman, BJP Madurai Urban district president, and a large number of representatives took part in the GST dissemination meeting held at MADITSSIA Hall in Madurai on July 9th 2017.
