SME Times News Bureau | 10 Feb, 2020
Countering Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's comment that it
was for the states and the GST Council to decide on bringing petrol and
diesel under the ambit of Goods and Services Tax (GST), West Bengal
Finance Minister Amit Mitra said on Monday that she cannot put the onus
on somebody else as she chairs the council.
"She is saying this
is something the GST Council is deciding. That's a collective body led
by the Centre. The honourable Finance Minister chairs the GST Council.
So she cannot put it on somebody else," Mitra said.
He also asked
Sitharaman to bring the matter on the council's agenda if she was
interested in bringing petrol and diesel under GST.
"She is the
chair. So if you are interested, you bring such an agenda, discuss in a
federalist polity as to who will do what. How can she say that states
must decide," Mitra asked.
Addressing a presser here on Sunday,
Sitharaman had said that it was up to the states and the GST Council to
take a call as to when they want to bring petrol and diesel within the
ambit of the indirect tax regime.
