NEW DELHI: Union Minister Jitendra Singh has appreciated the co-operation and positive response to the implementation of Goods and Services Tax in Meghalaya and other parts of the country.
In a statement issued to the media on Sunday, the minister of state (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) said, “This signifies that the northeastern state of Meghalaya wants to be a part of the economic reform happening in rest of India. It is also a reiteration of the people of Meghalaya to be a part of the fast-track development and reform led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
The statement comes after a delegation of public representatives and civil society activists led by Conrad Sangma briefed the minister on GST implementation in Meghalaya.
Broad gauge rail
Referring to a series of central developmental initiatives in the State, Singh said work is in progress to lay a broad gauge rail track. “This has inspired people’s faith in the government,” he said.
Meghalaya is seeing a series of protests over the railway project that started at Byrnihat in Ri Bhoi and the State Government has yielded to the demand of the pressure groups to stall work till a strong mechanism to control influx is put in place.
DoNER to upgrade airport
Singh, who is also the MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, told Sangma and other members of the delegation that upgradation of the air-strip at Shillong Airport will be funded by the DoNER ministry.
He also appreciated the tourism boost and said he was “gratified by the trend of Home Tourism that has picked-up in Meghalaya in the last two years”.
Tax office shift
Sangma, who led a delegation to meet Arun Jaitley last week, raised the issue of shifting the Excise and Customs Chief Commissioner’s office from Shillong to Guwahati during his audience with Singh.
The MoS said considering the commendable job done by the Excise and Customs Commissionerate in implementing GST, this plan could be reconsidered.
He told Sangma that he would put up before the Union Finance Minister the issue of feasibility or desirability of continuing the Office in Shillong.
Both Jaitley and Singh have assured that the Centre would look into the issue of feasibility or desirability of continuing the office in Shillong.
Sangma was accompanied by MP Vincent Pala and AL Hek during his with Jaitley.
The legislators told the Centre that shifting of the nearly 70-year-old headquarters would adversely affect the post-GST economy and might dilute the new tax regime and become counterproductive in the North East. “This will immensely affect the staff too besides incurring additional expenditure once the headquarters is shifted,” they added.
