Kerala has backed out of its commitment to support the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill, Chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers Amit Mitra said today.
"Finance Minister of Kerala Thomas Issac had supported the bill in the recent meeting held in the city, but now they said they were trying to arrive at a consensus," Mitra, who is also the West Bengal's finance minister told the State Assembly.
Speaking to reporters outside the House, he said that looking for consensus meant things were in 'doldrums'.
He alleged that there was a state of complete contradiction and confusion in the Left Front on the issue.
In the June 14 meeting of the empowered committee of the state finance ministers, all states except Tamil Nadu had agreed to support the GST Bill.
The BJP government was confident of clearing the bill in the Monsoon Session of Parliament and the draft GST bill had also been circulated for public comments.
The revenue department and the state finance ministers
are already in discussion with the trade and industry chambers and other stake holders over the model GST law.
The Empowered Committee of state finance ministers will meet industry chambers on August 30 to understand their concerns about the new indirect tax regime.
The CGST and IGST will be drafted on the basis of the model GST law. The states will draft their respective State GST (SGST) laws with minor variation incorporating state-based exemption. The IGST law would deal with inter-state movement of goods and services.
