To set the ball rolling for consultations on extending Goods and Services Tax (GST) to the state, an All Party Committee set up by the government is meeting Saturday afternoon here.

Finance Minister of the state Dr Haseeb Drabu’s office has sent letters to the members of the committee, an official disclosed.

Headed by PDP senior leader and M P Muzaffar Hussain Beig, the committee comprises of former Finance minister and NC leader, Abdul Rahim Rather, PDP general secretary Nizamu Din Bhat, PDF chairman and independent MLA from Khansahib Hakim Mohammad Yasin, CPI (M) state secretary and MLA Kulgam M Y Tarigami, Congress leader Ajaz Khan, DPN chief GH Mir, independent legislators Er Abdul Rashid and Pawan Gupta.

Confirming of having received the invitation letter to attend the meeting, Hakeem Yaseen said the meeting is scheduled to be held at 4 pm tomorrow (Saturday) in Nehru Guest house here.

The committee will deliberate on how it can modify the central GST to extend it to the state. It will come up with a report within few weeks and submit that to the government.

Following uproar by opposition and traders over central GST eroding fiscal and constitutional autonomy of the state, the government held an All Party Meeting and Special session of assembly to discuss the GST. But both the procedures failed to evolve any consensus on GST, with the state set to miss the GST extension deadline on July 1, when it will be rolled out across India.

Traders fear that due to GST and the state missing the deadline, trade will come to a halt.

Guest