Assam Becomes First State to Ratify GST Bill

The Assam assembly on Friday ratified the Constitutional Amendment Bill on Goods and Services Tax on Friday.

Congress and All India United Democratic Front, had earlier, sought a discussion in the assemble on the impact of GST on the state and its people. However, the assembly speaker turned it down.

Assam’s Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told PTI that Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal wanted Assam to be the first state to pass the Bill in order to send a positive signal to the industry.

The GST Bill will empower the state with better growth, the newly elected CM said in a tweet after the ratification.

The GST Bill, seen as single biggest tax reform in a long time, needs to be ratified by at least 15 state legislatures before the President can notify the GST Council which will decide the new tax rate and other issues.

(With inputs from PTI)