Govt to bring GST Bill in Lok Sabha on August 8

The government is all set to bring the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill in Lok Sabha on August 8, reports said on Friday. The BJP has issued three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs, asking them to be present in the house on August 8.

The Rajya Sabha had on Wednesday approved the GST Bill. Six official amendments, including scrapping of one per cent additional tax, were moved by the government which were approved by an overwhelming majority in the Upper House.

The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha earlier. Now it has to go back to the Lower House to incorporate the amendments approved by the Rajya Sabha. The bill will also have to be approved by 50 per cent of all the state assemblies.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has assured that the government is aiming for an optimal rate of taxation under GST regime though the final decision will be taken by the GST Council. While the opposition is demanding for capping the interest rate at 18 per cent.

Once implemented, the GST will subsume various taxes including excise, services tax, octroi and other levies and the proceeds will be shared between the Centre and states.

Instead of goods being taxed multiple times at different rates, under the new GST regime goods would be taxed at point of consumption.