Karnataka ready to implement GST: Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, Aug 5: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said the Karnataka government is all set to implement Goods and Services Tax (GST) which is likely to come into effect from April 2017. Calling GST the "brain child" of previous UPA government in the Centre, he said Congress leaders in Parliament have made government rectify certain shortcomings in the bill.

Pointing out that the bill also needs support from state legislative assemblies before GST is rolled out, he said "this system of one country with one tax will improve transparency in the economic activities."

With the main opposition Congress and most other parties on board, Rajya Sabha last night passed a bill to amend the Constitution to facilitate rollout of the GST amid government's assurance that the tax rates would be kept "as low as possible".

GST bill will now go back to Lok Sabha to incorporate the amendments approved by Rajya Sabha. It will also have to be approved by 50 per cent of all the state assemblies. Siddaramaih was replying to reporters' questions after chairing a high-level meeting regarding organising of 'Mysuru Dasara' 2016, here.

Government in today's meeting has decided to organise Mysuru Dasara in both "traditional" and "attractive" way, a state government release said.

According to the release, several names have come up as recommendation regarding who should be invited to inaugurate the Dasara celebrations. It included names of cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar and Kannda writer S L Bhyrappa. No decision has so far been taken in this regard.

PTI