BJP-ruled Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh stalled progress on GST: FM

Chidambaram said the Congress party is committed to introduce the GST and the new Direct Taxes Code (DTC).  

“Who has stalled GST and DTC? When a consensus on GST was nearly reached, it was the governments of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat that stalled further progress. Issues that had been settled were reopened.

“The consensus reached on the draft of the Constitution Amendment Bill was broken and work on the GST bill was interrupted,” Chidambaram said.

He also said senior BJP leader Sinha had “pleaded in favour” of GST and DTC.

Chidambaram said the Finance Ministry has now prepared a new DTC and has put it in the public domain. It is aimed at replacing the Income Tax Act of 1961.

“The UPA and the Congress remain committed to introducing and passing the DTC in the next Lok Sabha,” Chidambaram added.  The BJP in its election manifesto has promised to bring in GST, but it is silent on DTC.