Mehbooba discusses GST preparedness in state at all-party meet

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today convened an all-party meeting to discuss various issues pertaining to the GST rollout in the state.
In her opening remarks, the chief minister said the idea behind convening the meeting was to evolve a broad-based consensus on adopting any tax regime in the state.
She appealed the representatives of all political parties to come forward with their suggestions and remarks on the subject so that a view, which represents the aspirations of all sections of the society, is taken by the government.
Thanking the members of all political parties for attending the meeting,Mehbooba said the implementation of GST regime in the state is a subject matter of collective decision by every section of society and not of the government alone.

She hoped that fruitful discussions on the subject would be held in the Assembly during forthcoming special session.
The chief minister said the government is open to suggestions from all sections including political quarters and business class.

She hoped the participants would discuss the provisions of proposed laws in detail and come up with concrete suggestions and recommendations by which the fiscal and political autonomy of the state is not affected if the proposed law is decided to be enacted.
The meeting was attended by Muhammad Sartaj Madni, Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Nizammudin Bhat from PDP; Muhammad Shafi, Abdul Rahim Rather, Devinder Singh Rana and Nasir Aslam Wani from National Conference; Ghulam Hassan Mir from DPN; Hakim Muhammad Yasin from PDF; Sheikh Abdul Rashid from Awami Itihaad Party; M Y Tarigami from CPI(M); Nawang Rigzin Jora, Ajaz Ahmad Khan, Usman Majeed and G N Monga from Congress; Sat Sharma from BJP; Harshdev Singh from National Panthers Party and Pawan Gupta, MLA, Udhampur.

Earlier, Minister for Finance, Haseeb Drabu, gave a power point presentation in which he explained various aspects of the issue.
Chief Secretary B B Vyas; Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Rohit Kansal; Commissioner-Secretary, Finance, Navin Choudhary; Secretary, Law, Abdul Majeed Bhat; Commissioner, Commercial Taxes, Khateeb and other officers were also present in the meeting.