Government hopes to pass GST bill in monsoon session

The government on Friday expressed hope that the GST bill will be passed in the next session of parliament, and said it will hold fresh consultations over the key bill.

It also urged the Congress to stop politicising the bill.

"We hope to pass the GST bill in the monsoon session. We hope the Congress will rise above party politics and realise that the bill is important for reforms in the country," Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.

The legislation to introduce Goods and Services Tax in India is a Constitution amendment bill which requires two-thirds majority for passage. The government is short of numbers in the Rajya Sabha where the Congress has more members.

Naqvi said the government will hold fresh consultations over the bill.

"There was no consensus on GST, basically Congress did not agree to the GST bill," Naqvi said.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also appealed, the GST is an important legislation. It will be beneficial for states," the minister added.

Asked if the government has given any formal response to the concerns raised by Congress on the bill, Naqvi said: "Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, while responding on the finance bill in Rajya Sabha, gave a detailed response on the GST bill. I don't think there can be a more formal response."

"We will also talk to all stakeholders again very soon," he added.

--IANS

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