Republic Day 2017: Good and Services Tax or GST may have been pushed back from its original April 1.
The Good and Services Tax or GST may have been pushed back from its original April 1 launch date but the biggest tax reform of independent India debuted in the Republic Day parade on Thursday.
The cameras panned to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley when the GST tableau, put up by the Central Board of Excise and Customs, came in view. Behind a grim-faced Mr Jaitley, Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal stood up and cheered.
The tableau floated past the crowds with its own soundtrack. The Hindi song with the theme "one nation, one tax", said in one of the lines - "Why have separate taxes...GST, GST, GST..."
The nationwide tax will roll out in July instead of April because of a dispute between the centre and states over taxation powers. It was cleared in parliament last year after being repeatedly stalled. The PM said in the Lok Sabha at the time, "GST means a Great Step Taken by India, a Great Step of Transformation, Great Step towards Transparency."
GST replaces a tangle of complicated levies which make business tough for manufacturers and creates a unified market.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Skill India" campaign was also showcased in the parade, which featured the floats of six ministries.
Colourful tableaux from 17 states and union territories displayed India's cultural diversityand heritage.
President Pranab Mukherjee, PM Modi, several ministers, dignitaries and hundreds of men, women and children watched the parade at Rajpath, the ceremonial road in Delhi flanked by the country's most important buildings.
The crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was the chief guest this time.