As the GST (Goods and Services Tax) Constitution Amendment Bill awaits clearance from the Upper House of the Parliament (Rajya Sabha), Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today slammed the Opposition for stalling a reform that will herald economic integration.
"The entire country will become one market and it will be an economic integration of India," Jaitley said as he launched the three social security schemes in Mumbai.
Without naming Congress, he said, “Some have been a burden while being in the Government and want to remain a burden even when in the Opposition,” adding that they were attempting to "stop progress of the country" by not allowing to pass the GST Constitution Amendment Bill in Parliament.
They do not have numbers to prevent passage of the Constitution Amendment Bill to subsume all indirect taxes like excise duty and service tax into GST and all chief ministers including those of the opposition parties are supportive of the new regime, Jaitley said.
The GST Constitution Amendment Bill was approved by the Lok Sabha earlier this week. The Bill is now pending in the Rajya Sabha, where the NDA Government does not have a majority.
The Constitution Amendment Bill needs to be approved by two-third majority of both Houses of Parliament.
FM said that those opposed to GST are now deploying newer delaying tactics by questioning extension of Parliament session for conduct of pending legislative business.
Stating that GST will benefit states like Maharashtra, he said taxes truckers pay before entering any state or city will be abolished once GST is implemented.
He also said that the service tax collected from the financial capital Mumbai went only to the Centre. People from Mumbai, who pay the highest taxes, have complained for not getting their due will be heard and now some portion will come to Maharashtra as well.
Adding that the states' share of revenue will go up and economic activity and growth will also improve, Jaitley said India will become one uniform market where there is a seamless transfer of goods and services.
India has capacity to grow in double digit and not just 7-8 per cent, he added.