GST to be implemented effectively in Himachal: CM

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today assured that all possible efforts would be made to implement GST in smooth and effective manner in the state.
Speaking at the 25th GST Council meeting, presided by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely in New Delhi today, Thakur said that problems of stakeholders should be addressed on priority and added that Forms GST-MIS have not been made available on GST Portal to the implementing departments, an official release here said.
He urged the Centre to provide 100 per cent tax exemption to industries in the state for first five years and fifty percent for next five years, besides making a provision of interest subvention of seven per cent for a period of seven years to promote industrial development in the hilly region.

Earlier speaking at the pre-Budget meeting of the state finance ministers and union territories, CM demanded subsidy/ viability gap fund for operating flights and heli-taxi services on the pattern of north-eastern states to give boost to tourism and effective disaster management.
Thakur also suggested reduction in corporate tax rates to twenty per cent for speedy industrial development, and said that entrepreneurs of the state were deprived of the benefits of capital investment subsidy, which ended in march 2017. A special committee was constituted for preparing an extensive industrial policy for hill states but no announcements have been made so far.

He also urged the Centre to reintroduce freight subsidy scheme and enhance import duty on apple in union budget 2018- 19 to safeguard the interests of the horticulturists of Himachal were protected.

The chief minister suggested that priority be given to expansion and strengthening of rail network in the state for improving connectivity, and efforts should be made for constructing Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Manali-Leh rail line, besides converting the Pathankot-Jogindernagar metre gauge rail line into broad gauge.
Thakur also suggested the Centre that changes in Goods and Services Tax rules and rate structure should be made on quarterly or six monthly basis, depending upon the situation and the changes be notified or made effective from the firstday of the month.

He said that appropriate business intelligence tools should be used in IT solution to enable the system to detect mismatches and tax evasion. The module related to enforcement should be rolled out at the earliest to complement effective implementation of e-way bill, he said, and requested for early notification of powers relating to full cross empowerment.