Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh): Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a special conversation with ETV Bharat that the GST Council is a council and whatever decision comes out of this is a collective decision of the people involved in Though it is headed by Nirmala Sitharaman as the Union Finance Minister, it also includes the finance ministers of different states of the country and officials related to finance.
The council sees how it can benefit trade and businessmen and also generate income for the treasury of the country. The same is discussed in the council meeting. The decisions taken here cannot be related to giving special benefits to any particular state, because it involves the participation and views of the representatives of all the states.
The GST Council is going meet in Lucknow Friday. It is being speculated that in view of the assembly elections to be held in Uttar Pradesh next year, some special decisions may be made in the interest of traders.
On the question of the Modi government becoming a target of the opposition regarding the country's economy and GDP, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said that the present time is of great crisis. The coronavirus pandemic has ruined the economy of not only India but the whole world. Although Prime Minister Narendra Modi is very concerned about the country's economy.
“We are continuously engaged in the process of improving the economy,” Chaudhary said.
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He said that by giving an economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore in view of the pandemic, the Prime Minister is trying to to revive the economy of the country.
“He has also taken care of the handcart and other street vendors,” Chaudhary said. “He also tried to strengthen the MSME sector. If seen from all aspects, the way the country is going, it can be said that now the train is coming back on track. The indicators of the economy are showing such results as the collection of GST is now back to normal. Electricity consumption and small vehicle sales have increased. All these point towards a good economy.”
On the question of the sale of assets of the country by the Modi government, the Minister of State for Finance said that it is the Prime Minister's plan of monetisation in the country.
“This will happen by leasing out the land of railway and power sector and the economy of the country will be improve further,” he said. “Vacant land will be used. The assets will not be sold. The government will have complete control over it. Nowhere in the monetization has it been said that under this, the land will be sold . Under this, a provision has been made to give land on lease only.”
On the question of giving some special scheme to Gorakhpur region as Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary said that this area belongs to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
“Many development projects are going on under his leadership. Whatever plan of the Government of India needs to be taken forward here, full emphasis will be given to it,” he added.
