Kolkata: The date for rolling out the Goods
and Services Tax could be announced on January 8, the Chairman
of the Empowered Committee on State Finance Ministers, Asim
Dasgupta, said on Friday.
"There will be a joint statement after a meeting with
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on January 8 on GST
rollout," Dasgupta told reporters on the sidelines of the 23rd
industrial trade fair, organised by the Bengal National
Chamber of Commerce and Industry here.
"We (state finance ministers) have a two-day meeting
from January 7. We will meet Pranab Mukherjee before giving a
statement on this," he said.
Dasgupta's statement came just a day after the Union
Finance Minister said the scheduled April 1 date to introduce
the new tax regime may be missed due to a lack of consensus
among all the 28 states.
Asked whether a consensus with all the states had been
arrived at, Dasgupta did not make any comments.
He said the Centre was working and contributing, and an
advance had been made which would make it possible to
introduce the GST at the appropriate time.
‘Forward trading cause for food inflation’
West Bengal Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta on Friday said forward trading and relaxation of Essential Commodities Act were the key causes of the current spell of price rise, that has seen India's annual food inflation top 18 percent.
"During the regime of National Democratic Alliance, when Trinamool Congress was partner, there was a complete relaxation of the Essential Commodities Act. We are trying to bring that in order," Dasgupta said, talking about the recent food price rise.
"The Union Finance Minister (Pranab Mukherjee) is fully aware about what is happening. He is fully aware what is going on in forward trading," he told reporters on the margins of a trade fair organised by the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
His comments came after Mukherjee said state governments should ensure subsidised food grain was given via effective public distribution system, while taking effective steps against hoarding of bring down food inflation.
Mukherjee had said the states' de-hoarding mechanism should be strengthened to take steps against unscrupulous traders, who create artificial scarcity in a bid to jack up prices, especially of essential items.
Dasgupta said that there was a need for full co-ordinated action between all the states and the centre. "Our Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had said he has written to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue."
PTI/IANS
First Published: Friday, December 25, 2009, 17:47