The West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra said to a news channel “Centre should do GST at a time when it’s feasible, I don’t see that at this time, as a student of economics.”
Demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, and the resulting turmoil, makes the April 1, 2017, target date for a national goods and services tax (GST) unlikely, said Amit Mitra,
His boss, Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier demanded rollback of the note ban. The Union finance ministry has placed the draft model GST and compensation Bill in the public domain. The government is planning to introduce Central GST, integrated GST and compensation Bills in Parliament in the current session, after getting approval from the GST Council, which would meet on Friday and Saturday. The Union finance minister, minister of state for finance, and state representatives, mostly finance ministers, are part of the Council. Introduction and passage of the Bills in the current session are necessary to ensure GST roll-out from April 1.
Business Standard, 1st December 2016
