GST Council may go for more rate revisions, tobacco likely to be targeted

FM Arun Jaitley will be asked to join in, through video-conferencing

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council on Monday evening will hold a meeting through video-conferencing to discuss some rate revisions "which need urgent attention".

The meeting, called at a short notice, would be chaired by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley through video-conferencing as state Finance Ministers were not in the national capital.

Jaitley had fixed August 5, as the date for the Council's next meeting. However, after that there have been some issues which need urgent attention, Central Board of Excise and Customs Chairperson Vanaja Sarna told IANS in an interview.

"The agenda is some rate issue," she said.

Sources in the Finance Ministry said that tobacco rate revision was likely to be on the agenda.

Refusing to give any more details on the agenda of the "surprise meeting", Sarna said: "It (the meeting) was planned but the date was not finalised. Some issues are there. I think it is a rate issue."

It was the GST Council that was looking after the issue, she added.