GST deadline missed, but efforts on for consensus: J&K govt

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir has missed the 1 July deadline for goods and services tax (GST) rollout as the state government maintained that it is in “consultations” to build a consensus for implementing the new tax regime.

“We have missed the deadline but we are in the process of consultations for building a consensus. We feel the wait is worth it,” senior minister and government spokesman Naeem Akhtar told PTI.

The state government convened an all-party meeting earlier this month in an effort to build a consensus on implementing GST in the state but its efforts were opposed by opposition parties like the National Conference as also the business community.

The opponents to the GST regime maintain that extending the new tax regime will take away the tax levying autonomy of the state, which in turn will erode its special status within the union of India.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly will meet for a special session on Monday to discuss the issue of implementing the GST in the state. A special session of the Assembly was convened on 17 June for this purpose but the house was adjourned sine die as the all party panel on GST had not submitted its report yet.

The panel met in Srinagar on Thursday as all the stakeholders stuck to their stand on the issue of GST.