Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today said that his government will constitute a task force for successful implementation of all aspects of Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the state.
Addressing the participants at the first GST Summit-Haryana organised by Excise and Taxation Department at Panchkula near here today, he said the task force will include traders, industrialists, advocates, Chartered Accountants, Information Technology experts and government officers.
"The task force will deal with grievances, if any, concerning implementation of GST. Anyone can contact the task force for the similar purpose. The government will certainly implement GST within the stipulated period without any hurdle," Khattar said.
He said the idea to roll out GST in the country was conceived about nine years ago. A committee was also constituted to introduce GST under the chairmanship of Finance Minister of West Bengal.
At that time there were different views about introduction of the GST. After such a long period, the present Central government opined that when 160 countries in the world have adopted GST, why should India lag behind, he said in a statement.
Khatter also thanked Narendra Modi and said that it was because of the Prime Minister's "visionary leadership" that all parties spoke in one voice to support the passage of GST Bill.
Noting that 16 states had ratified the Constitution amendment bill on GST, he hoped that remaining other states would also ratify the same for the implementation of GST, which is a biggest tax reform in the country.
Asserting that Haryana was the first state that had organised such kind of GST Summit in the country, he said the GST was being implemented to create uniform market for seamless movement of goods and services with one tax rate in the country.
This would also help in checking tax evasion, improve business environment and curb corruption, Khatter said.
The Chief Minister said that a number of initiatives had been taken to change the face of economy in the state.
The State government had organised a two-day Global Investors Summit in the month of March this year in Gurgaon in which 3000 industrialists of national and international repute participated.
As a result of this summit, more than 500 MoUs have been signed with a projected investment of over Rs six lakh crore which are now being implemented.
Haryana is the safest and ideal place for investment owing to its proximity to Delhi. Ever since the BJP government has come to power about 22 months ago, several procedural issues have been eased for industries, he said.
Haryana, which was at number 14 on the aspect of ease of
doing business, has secured seventh place.
Haryana will figure among the top five states in the next round of ranking. Around 340 points of simplification of procedures were identified, of which 327 have been addressed and the remaining 13 would soon be settled, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Excise and Taxation Minster Capt Abhimanyu described the introduction of GST as the "most significant and far reaching step" in the field of indirect tax reforms in the country.
He said that GST was being introduced to provide a level playing field for all the stakeholders that is trade, industry and consumers and removal of fiscal barriers in the form of multiple taxes.
"It will boost overall investment climate and economic activities and would benefit everyone," he said.
Abhimanyu said the Centre and state would simultaneously introduce GST in the country in the next financial year from April, 1, 2017.
It would streamline the tax administration, avoid harassment and facilitate ease of doing business in the country, he said.
Describing the implementation of GST as a "big test" for the government and Excise and Taxation Department, he said that the training for smooth implementation of GST had already been started in Haryana on GST law, regulations and procedure.
"I understand the capability of the department, the capable officers and staff can do and they will definitely achieve this," he said.
State Industries and Commerce Minister Vipul Goel said that GST law would prove a lifeline for industry.
It would also prove a milestone for success of various initiatives of Central government to make the country a global manufacturing hub, he said.
Thanking the Chief Minister for organising the first GST Summit in Haryana, he said it was a clear indication that Haryana was among the leading states in the ongoing race of development in the country.
Noting that the state government was working as a facilitator for the industry rather than being a regulator, Goel sought suggestions and ideas from the traders, industry and professionals for successful implementation of GST law in the state.
