New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Wednesday that passing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill was just a matter of time and that he is willing to reach out the Opposition for ensure that it gets passed.
Speaking at World Economic Forum (WEF) hosted along with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the minister said, “I would try and persuade them to have it cleared now, as soon as possible, because it is going to be one of the most important reforms in India,” the finance minister said.
“We are willing to speak to any of their leaders,” he said. When asked if that includes Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, he quipped, “Certainly. Why not?”
The Narendra Modi government has set for itself the deadline of April 1, within which it aims to enforce the Goods and Services Tax Bill, which does away with more than a dozen of state taxes replacing them with one single levy. Smooth-running of the Winter Session of the Parliament is essential to the passing of the GST Bill.
The comments may be interpreted as the Finance Minister reaching out to the Opposition at a time when they were locking horns with each other almost on a daily basis over ‘growing intolerance’ in the country .
Speaking on the Land Ordinance Bill, Jaitley said that it remains with the Select Committee and the government will explore the possibility of consensus in the upcoming Parliament session.
On matters of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), the FM said that India had attracted one of the largest FDI’s in the World, and when growth is to take place private investment is needed to guide the government.
“India has attracted one of the largest FDI’s in the World,” he said.
He said that the government has given a direction to the economy and was taking steps towards it.