Govt ready to discuss GST bill: Arun Jaitley

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said Government is willing to reach out to the Congress-led opposition parties on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill. Speaking at annual meet of an industry chamber in New Delhi yesterday, Mr. Jaitley, emphasised that some of the suggestions made by the Congress were not in the larger interest of the GST structure. He, however said, government is willing to discuss their concerns and has no difficulty in reaching out to the Opposition.

The government is keen on getting the Constitution (Amendment) Bill passed in the winter



session of Parliament that begins tomorrow so as to meet its April 2016 target date for rolling out the indirect tax regime. Mr. Jaitley also questioned Congress' stance on changing the dispute resolution mechanism, arguing that none of these positions was part of the Bills moved by P. Chidambaram and Pranab Mukherjee when they were Finance Ministers in the UPA government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also exuded confidence and hoped the GST regime would roll out in 2016. Mr Modi was speaking at the India Singapore Economic Convention in Singapore yesterday.