Jaitley to meet state FMs on GST next month

Keen to fast track Goods and Services Tax (GST), Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today reviewed the progress with regard to the rollout of the new indirect tax regime and decided to hold an early meeting with the state Finance Ministers to sort out pending issues.
The progress with regard to rollout of GST, which has been pending since 2011, was reviewed by the Union Minister at a meeting with Revenue Secretary Rajiv Takru today.
The finance minister discussed the contentious issues blocking the rollout of GST and also CST compensation issues, a ministry official said.
Issues regarding inclusion of petrol and alcohol under GST were also discussed in the meeting, the official said, adding, the FM also asked Takru to arrange for a meeting of Empowered Committee of State FMs next month.

The ruling party BJP in its manifesto has committed to "bring on board all state governments in adopting GST, addressing all their concerns".
GST would usher in the new indirect taxes regime which will subsume various levies like excise, service and various local taxes.
The UPA government in 2011 introduced a Constitution Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha to pave the way for the GST regime which aims at subsuming most of the indirect taxes at the central as well as the state levels.