New Delhi: Amid remarks by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley signalling a breakthrough in the passage of the GST Bill, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the latter’s official residence, 7, RCR in New Delhi and expressed concerns about the legislation that aims to replace a slew of central and state levies by bringing the country under a unified tax regime.
"GST impacts the fiscal autonomy of states like Tamil Nadu. Expect big revenue loss for manufacturing state like Tamil Nadu," Jayalalithaa said in a memorandum which was submitted to PM Modi with 29 demands.
“We object to provision of GST council. No statutory GST council is required. Petroleum and petro products must be kept outside GST permanently in view of revenue impact and social impact of high effective taxation on these items. There is need to enable the states to levy higher taxes on tobacco and tobacco products on par with centre,” the memorandum added.
“Tamil Nadu reiterates the need for constitutionally mandated independent compensation mechanism for full (100%) compensation of revenue loss suffered by states for a period of not less than five years,” it said.
Before taking up GST bill, she said, Centre should go for broad consensus on points like compensation period & methodology, revenue neutral loss, commodities to be excluded from GST and genuine apprehensions of states.
Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that almost all states are virtually on board except Tamil Nadu on the issue of GST.
Jayalalithaa also demanded financial assistance for Tamil Nadu as the state is under Rs 2.11 lakh crore debt.
It is also believed that she asked for release of convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
On Jallikattu, she said, “Govt of India should promulgate an ordinance to enable the conduct of Jallikattu. The Environment & Forests Ministry should denotify bull as 'performing animal'.”
She also demanded that the Tamil language should be made official language of Government of India.
“Tamil language should be made official language of Government of India. Also Centre should take up matter with Supreme court to enable use of Tamil in High Courts of Madras,” she said.
This is Jayalalithaa’s first visit to New Delhi after she won the state assembly elections and became the CM for a second consecutive term.
