Jaisalmer: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who is in Jaisalmer for the 55th GST Council Meeting on Sunday visited the famous Sonar Fort in the city and the Tanot Mata temple on India-Pakistan border.
Visit to Sonar Fort
During her visit to Sonar Fort, the Finance Minister told about the rich history of Jaisalmer. Jaisalmer's famous guide Gajendra Sharma took Sitharaman around the fort. The Finance Minister was overwhelmed by the artistry and grandeur of the fort and with great interest observed the Jain temple, the palace of the king and queen as well as the narrow streets of the fort.
After her arrival in the city, Sitharaman went to the Fort Palace Museum located in Sonar Fort where Pat Guru Suryaprakash Gopa welcomed and garlanded her. Pat Guru's daughter Nidhi Gopa applied tilak on the Finance Minister following which she visited the temple of Swangia Mata. After this, Sitharaman took selfies with tourists at the fort square.
Finance Minister praises Jaisalmer
After the GST council meeting held at Hotel Marriott in Jaisalmer, she praised the beauty of the city. She said Jaisalmer is a beautiful city, which attracts a large number of tourists who are awestruck by its history and culture.
Praise for bureaucrat
Sitharaman lauded Rajasthan cadre IAS officer and new RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra. She said it was because of Sharma that Jaisalmer was chosen as the venue for the meeting. Rajasthan cabinet minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar, Jaisalmer MLA Chhotu Singh Bhati, District Collector Pratap Singh and BJP workers were present during Sitharaman's visit to the city.
Visit to Tanot Mata Temple
The Finance Minister also visited the Tanot Mata Temple on the India-Pakistan border. After reaching Tanot, Sitharaman paid tribute to the martyrs by offering a wreath of flowers at the Victory Pillar located in the shrine complex. She was also given a guard of honour by BSF jawans. Rajasthan Frontier IG ML Garg, DIG Yogendra Singh Rathore, Commandant Surendra Kumar and Commandant of 166th Battalion Virender Pal Singh were present
The GST Council meeting began in the city on Saturday. The meeting chaired by Sitharaman and comprising state counterparts, decided that some more technicalities needed to be ironed out and tasked the Group of Ministers (GoM) for further deliberations. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary said one more meeting of the GoM on insurance is required to take a call on taxation of group, individual and senior citizens' policies. “Some members said more discussions were required. We (GoM) will meet in January again,” Chaudhary told reporters. The meeting is also expected to deliberate on bringing Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) into the Goods and Services Tax fold.
Several proposals of the Fitment Committee, comprising officials from the Centre and state GST department would come up for review before the Council. One of the proposals include cutting taxes on food delivery platforms like Swiggy and Zomato, to 5 per cent (without input tax credit), from the current 18 per cent (with ITC).
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