3 October 2016, Thane: The Honorable Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal interacted with the traders and addressed their concerns over GST at an event organized by the Mahavir Seva Samiti in Bhayander, Thane. A retired IAS Officer from Rajasthan, Meghwal took over as the new Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs in July. Shri Meghwal, born on 20th December, 1953, into a traditionally weaver family of Kismidesar village in Bikaner; is a Post-Graduate in Political Science. He is a Law Graduate and has also done MBA from University of Philippines. Shri Meghwal has been Member of various Parliamentary Committees and was awarded the Best Parliamentarian Award in 2013.
Addressing the various questions and concerns of the trader community he said, “The benefit of economic development must reach the last mile. He said that the Government will strive to ensure that the benefits of PMJDY, Mudra and other Social Security Schemes should reach the common man. He said that the Governments priorities include to speed-up the process of economic growth and make all out efforts to achieve the goal of development so that poor and vulnerable sections of our society are benefitted. The government will be able to implement Goods and Services Tax (GST) from April 1, next year.”
The minister added that all the issues, including the GST rate, area-based exemption, slabs in rates will be decided by the GST Council after detailed discussion with the states. GST, which is considered as the biggest tax reform since Independence, will subsume excise and service tax, and various other local levies including VAT and octroi. “At the time when we are pushing for ‘Make In India’, we cannot afford to impact any manufacturing sector. Manufacturers should ‘not’ fear that indirect taxes will go up in a major way” he added.
Mr. Kantilal Babel of Mahavir Seva Samiti, the organizers of the event said; “It is a matter of immense pride to see someone from your home town rise to such a position through immense hard work, dedication and honesty. The life of Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal is a source of inspiration to many. I am sure that the youth of today will be able to appreciate his journey. The presence of over two thousand people that have come to hear him from far and wide itself shows the popularity of the honorable minister. It is an extreme pleasure that he accepted our invitation to speak and address the fears and concerns of the community here over GST. With ministers like Shri Meghwal one is assured of having an ear to the ground. I wish him all the best for an extremely successful tenure.”
Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal with memebers of Shri Mahavir Seva Samiti
