GST rollout in April ?13 depends on Centre, says Sushil Modi

Whether the Goods and Services tax will kick in from April 2013 will depend on the Centre?s ability to show leadership in bringing the political parties together on this tax reform.

Written by KG Narendranath

July 19, 2012 02:39 IST

Whether the Goods and Services tax (GST) will kick in from April 2013 will depend on the Centre?s ability to show leadership in bringing the political parties together on this tax reform and how far the states? concerns are addressed in the relevant Constitutional Amendment Bill, Sushil Kumar Modi, chairman of the empowered committee of state finance ministers, told KG Narendranath.

Modi listed the steps needed to usher in the tax reform that has missed several dates: Give equal say to the Centre and states in the proposed GST Council, empower it to deal with disputes and decide on rates, deviation etc; drop the plan to set up Dispute Settlement Authority; allow the states the flexibility to raise rates by up to 10% over the ?floor rates?.

Shortly after the Parliamentary standing committee gives its report on the Constitutional Bill,the Centre should convene an all-party meeting to evolve a consensus on various outstanding issues, Modi said in a telephonic interview from Patna.

This article was first uploaded on July nineteen, twenty twelve, at thirty-nine minutes past two in the night.