Hopeful of GST bill passage in this Budget session: Naidu

Expressing hope that the Goods and Services Tax bill will be passed in the next half of the Budget session, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu today said the tax regime will push up India’s economy by 1.5 to 2 percentage points.

Addressing members of the local chapter of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Naidu, who is Minister of Urban Development said the government had tried to pass the bill some months ago, but “some friends”, raised some or other issues.

Stating that he met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the passage of the bill, Naidu said if it was passed, India’s GDP will go up by 1.5 to 2 percentage points.

“We can debate, discuss and decide, but do not disrupt.  As government we propose, as opposition you oppose, but together we can dispose,” Naidu said.

He also assured the industrialists that all support and help would be provided to develop Coimbatore as a Smart City and issues like mass rapid transport system and overnight train to Bengaluru would be taken up with the ministries concerned.

Earlier, Naidu inaugurated the Student Facilities Centre at Kumaraguru College of Technology in the city.

He also presented the ‘Arutselval Dr N Mahalingam Award’ to K Arumugam, an educationist and administrator, which was received by his son. Due to health reasons, Arumugam was not able to attend the function.