J&K’s summer capital Srinagar would be center of attention from Thursday as it is set to host the crucial meeting of Goods and Service Tax (GST) Council.

Headed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and comprising Finance Ministers of all states, the Council would hold deliberations on Thursday and Friday at SK International Convention Center (SKICC) here to finalize the tax slabs on commodities and services.

The meeting is seen significant as it will decide on the most important aspect of the GST that will have a bearing on common people.

"A lot of public interest is in the meeting because it would decide the tax rates on commodities," Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu told Greater Kashmir.

He said the meeting would give a "sense of participation to J&K in the national policy-making."

"This is the most important policy-making event. We have more than 150 participants including ministers and bureaucrats from Centre as well as States," he said.

This is the first time when such a major policy decision would be taken in Srinagar in the past six decades.

According to sources, 150 journalists working with major Indian and foreign media outlets have arrived in Srinagar to cover the event.

Drabu said: "We are hoping for ’Srinagar consensus’ on the rates."

Sources told Greater Kashmir that ministers and bureaucrats participating in the high-profile meeting started to reach Srinagar from this morning.

They said Arun Jaitley arrived this evening while Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia, who also holds the portfolio of Finance, was first to reach here this morning.

"Chief Minister of Pudduchery V. Narayanasamy is also expected to arrive tomorrow," they said.

Sources also disclosed that Governments of Tripura, Sikkim, Orissa, Nagaland and Mizoram have expressed inability to send their Finance Ministers due to their engagements in their respective states.

"The participation of West Bengal Finance Minister is also not confirmed," they said.

Apart from Delhi, Deputy Chief Ministers of Gujarat, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh would also participate in the meeting.

As per itinerary of the program, the meeting would begin at SKICC at 10:30 am and continue till 6:30 pm. It would resume on Friday morning and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley would also address media later in the day at Nehru Guest House.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti would also host dinner for the visiting dignitaries at SKICC on Thursday evening.

Interestingly, the J&K is yet to take a final call on whether it would be part of GST regime.

On Tuesday, Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu had told Greater Kashmir that Jammu and Kashmir government is holding a special session of the State Assembly to debate its proposed law on Goods and Services Tax (GST) to "protect" the state’s constitutional position on taxing services. He said the state legislature would "approve the GST law which will be in consonance with the state’s existing constitutional position."

In December last year, the J&K government had formed a high-level committee to look into the issues, including drafting of legislation, pertaining to joining Government of India’s GST and had asked the panel to submit its report in three months.

 18 May 2017, 05:52 AM