Union Minister of State for Power, Piyush Goyal ruled out the Ordinance route for GST by the government, as constitutional amendments cannot be implemented through them.
Ahmedabad, Gujarat:
The BJP led National Democratic Alliance could look at alternative options for implementation of the Goods and Services Tax Bill from April 1 next year, said Union minister, Piyush Goyal, after the monsoon session of Parliament ended yesterday without approving the biggest ever tax reform for India.
The minister accused the Congress of insulting the people's mandate given to BJP last year by disrupting the legislative business in Parliament, where the GST bill is stalled.
"There are less possibilities of implementing GST law by April 2016, but the government will work out alternative ways to ensure people get its benefits... We will hope that the Congress will realise the futility of stalling reforms like GST and will come on board," Mr Goyal told reporters in Ahmedabad.
The minister was in town as part of BJP's strategy to expose the Congress across the country on the issue of stalling major legislations in Parliament.The 51-year-old ruled out the Ordinance route for GST by the government, as constitutional amendments cannot be implemented through them.
Mr Goyal said, "I will not reveal the strategy, but I would clearly say we are determined and it would be our endeavour to roll out GST from April 1, 2016."
The GST was passed in May by the Lower House or Lok Sabha, where the government has a huge majority, but it has been stalled in the Rajya Sabha, where the government and its allies are in a minority. Congress has been demanding three major changes to the Bill.
The Bill aims to create a national sales tax to replace a matrix of levies in the 29 states. After it is sanctioned by Parliament, half of India's states need to endorse the reform.
The minister accused the Congress of insulting the people's mandate given to BJP last year by disrupting the legislative business in Parliament, where the GST bill is stalled.
"There are less possibilities of implementing GST law by April 2016, but the government will work out alternative ways to ensure people get its benefits... We will hope that the Congress will realise the futility of stalling reforms like GST and will come on board," Mr Goyal told reporters in Ahmedabad.
The minister was in town as part of BJP's strategy to expose the Congress across the country on the issue of stalling major legislations in Parliament.The 51-year-old ruled out the Ordinance route for GST by the government, as constitutional amendments cannot be implemented through them.
Mr Goyal said, "I will not reveal the strategy, but I would clearly say we are determined and it would be our endeavour to roll out GST from April 1, 2016."
The GST was passed in May by the Lower House or Lok Sabha, where the government has a huge majority, but it has been stalled in the Rajya Sabha, where the government and its allies are in a minority. Congress has been demanding three major changes to the Bill.
The Bill aims to create a national sales tax to replace a matrix of levies in the 29 states. After it is sanctioned by Parliament, half of India's states need to endorse the reform.
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