The Assam Assembly on Friday ratified the Goods and Services Tax Constitution Amendment Bill, making the state the first one in the country to do so, reported NDTV. The Bill was cleared by both houses of Parliament on August 3.
Announcing the development, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Twitter, "I am sure Assam will benefit from the GST through higher economic growth & better revenue collection." Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also announced that the Bill has been unanimously ratified in the state Assembly. "Proud that Assam is the First state to ratify historic GST Bill, which promises to transform India," he wrote on the microblogging site.
The Narendra Modi government needs at least 15 states in the country to approve the Bill for it to move to the next step in the process, which is implementation of the single national tax regime across the nation. The Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Goa has an Assembly session that ends today, reported Business Standard.
The Centre plans to roll out the new system on April 1, 2017. Delhi and Bihar have already promised to support the Bill. The Arvind Kejriwal-led government in Delhi is expected to pass the Bill next week. Of the 29 states in the country, the BJP is in power in 11 states, either with a majority or through an alliance with regional parties.
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