Jaitley meets state finance ministers to push for GST

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Thursday met finance ministers of states and union territories to push for early implementation of the proposed indirect tax reform Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Talking to reporters after the meeting, chairman of the empowered committee on GST and finance minister of Jammu and Kashmir Abdul Rahim Rather said the government is serious on early implementation of the tax reform and all the states were on board.

"The government of India is very much interested to have this tax reform introduced. Every state is on board," Rather said.

When asked about the possible timeframe to roll out the ambitious tax reform, Rather said: "I can not give you an exact date but I think it will not take much time."

He said every state wants the GST to be implemented, provided their concerns are addressed. "Only they want their concerns are addressed. That will be done I think," he added.

One of the most comprehensive economic reforms in India, GST, seeking to create a uniform indirect tax structure across the country by merging all central and state taxes, has been lingering for more than a decade.