Modi government is aiming to have GST approved by at least 15 states in the next 30 days.
Nine BJP states, four states where the party shares power with allies and two avowals of support. The Modi government has done its math when says it is aiming to have GST approved by at least 15 states in the next 30 days.
Tiny Goa could become the first state to clear the mega reform. Senior Union ministers have met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who wants the states' approval fast-tracked so that the tough deadline of April 1 next year for the roll-out of the single national tax can be met.
At least 15, or half, of the country's 29 states must clear GST for it to be implemented
The Goa assembly's monsoon session is on till August 12, next Friday, and the centre hopes to reach the bill that enables GST there by Wednesday or Thursday. The Rajya Sabha passed the bill this week and it will now be presented on Monday in the Lok Sabha for amendments to be passed. The government hopes to get the President's assent on the bill on Tuesday. The Goa ministers said the state assembly session can be extended if necessary.
“Will be proud to be the first state to ratify GST bill. Will extend the assembly session to ratify GST after President nod,” Goa chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar told NDTV.
Senior minister Venkaiah Naidu has spoken to all nine BJP chief ministers to discuss how their states can approve GST at the soonest.
Maharashtra's monsoon session ends today and the Devendra Fadnavis government is planning not to prorogue the house so that the session can be reconvened at a short notice.
Others states with BJP governments like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are not in session and will have to call a special assembly sitting. So will states that are ruled by the BJP along with allies like Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Nagaland and Jammu and Kashmir.
The opposition-ruled Bihar too has offered to call a special Assembly sitting for GST, as its monsoon session ended yesterday. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar spoke to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and made the offer.
Equally eager to get moving on GST is West Bengal, whose Amit Mitra heads the empowered committee of state finance ministers and has led talks with the centre on the tax reform. The Mamata Banerjee government has convened a five-day special session from August 26 for the change in the state's name - dropping the West from Bengal - and could use the sitting to also clear GST.
State governments widely support the GST because it will boost their share of taxes and make cross-border trade far smoother. States that produce goods have been assured that they will be compensated for five years by the centre for the losses they will incur since the GST is applied on consumption.