Govt reaches out to Cong over passage of GST bill in monsoon session

The government today reached out to the Congress seeking its support for passage of the crucial GST bill, hanging fire for a long time due to stiff resistance by the main opposition party.
Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, who earlier handled Parliamentary Affairs portfolio, called up Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and his deputy Anand Sharma to seek Congress' backing for passage of the crucial bill in the Monsoon session of Parliament starting July 18.
Sources said the calls were part of government's efforts to reach out to the principal opposition party and engaging with its leadership in a bid to enlist their support for the crucial tax reform legislation.

"Yes, we had talked," Azad said when asked if there was such a call from Naidu.
A meeting of top Congress leaders like Azad and Anand Sharma with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is likely tomorrow.
When Asked about the meeting with government to iron out the differences on GST, Azad said, "Yes, we are meeting. The meeting will take place, after that we will tell you."

Asked about what could be the Congress stand at the meeting, Azad said, "I can't say without having a meeting with them and finally deciding on it. We shall have to talk to our friends and allies also."

The Constitution amendment bill for roll-out of GST is pending in Rajya Sabha for a long time and the government is keen to ensure its passage. The Goods and Services Tax seeks to bring a uniform tax structure subsuming a number of imposts and the government claims that it will help add 1 to 2 per cent to the country's GDP.
Top Congress leaders had yesterday deliberated on the strategy for the session with party president Sonia Gandhi at her residence where GST was also discussed.
Congress has been pressing for a GST cap of 18 per cent as part of the Constitutional Amendment bill with which the government is not in agreement.

Insiders say the demand has become a sticking point, but Congress may relent and agree to a cap in the statute and not as part of the Constitution bill.