Will see if GST benefits rural sections of nation: NCP

With the Lok Sabha passing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill yesterday, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Thursday said that it will see if the Bill benefits the rural and middle class sections of the society as they do not want public to suffer.

"The GST Bill matter should be watched with the passage of time. The Bill had to undergo a marathon exercise of state's concurrence. There were some impediments and hurdles which were also bridged after great deal of deliberation. Now that it has come in a final shape, the anxiety of my party particularly is to see that the poor does not suffer," NCP leader Majeed Memon told ANI.

He added that any introduction of new law must emphasize on how much convenient or comfortable it would be to the majority of the population which constitutes the poor families.

"We will be again examining tomorrow that if it is rolled out in July, which is expected, then how much the poor are likely to suffer or how much they are likely to gain. If we talk of traders or manufacturers, our eyes will be set on small traders and manufacturers," Memon said.

He further said that the NCP believes in providing relief to the big junk of poor and middle class people.

Echoing similar sentiments, another NCP leader Tariq Anwar said that earlier the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were opposing the Bill but today they are supporting it which reflects the dual thinking of the saffron party.

"Congress spokesperson Veerappa Moily during the discussion yesterday said that if this Bill had been passed in the times of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government then the loss of Rs. 12, 00,000 would have been avoided," he added.

Four Bills related to GST were passed yesterday after the Centre did not approve amendments moved by the opposition parties.

Among the Bills that were passed are The Central GST Bill, 2017; The Integrated GST Bill, 2017; The GST (Compensation to States) Bill, 2017; and The Union Territory GST Bill, 2017.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley yesterday said the passage of the Bill in the House was history is in the making, adding that the country will witness transforming into a new system of indirect taxation.

Jaitley further informed that the other subordinate legislations will also be considered by the GST Council on March 31 and once that is approved, the principal task would remain fixing of tariff against every commodity for which a formula has already been devised.