Andhra assembly set to discuss, ratify GST Bill today

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], Sept. 8 (ANI): The Andhra Pradesh Assembly will discuss and ratify the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, 2014 during its three-day session beginning today. A decision was taken to introduce and discuss the Bill by the Cabinet, which met in Vijayawada under chairmanship of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday. It has been resolved by the Cabinet to table three other Bills, one relating to the Stamps and Registration Department, intended to curb double registrations. The other Bill is aimed at bringing about amendments to the Registration Act, 1908 to plug the loopholes, which have made the job of fraudsters easy. Another Bill is aimed at a downward revision of the Value Added Tax (VAT) payable by five and three star hotels located in tourist destinations and on mobile phones, to five per cent by making amendments to the AP VAT Act, 2005. The fourth Bill is on affiliation of private agriculture colleges and polytechnics to Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, making necessary changes to the Act of 1963 and scrapping away with the Ordinance, 2016. Likewise, private horticulture colleges and polytechnics will be given affiliation to Y.S.R. Horticulture University by bringing about amendments to Y.S.R. Horticulture University Act, 2007. It has also been decided in the Cabinet to construct IT Towers through public-private partnerships in 10 lakh square feet in Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Anantapur in a year and merge the Internet of Things (IoT) Policy with the Electronics Policy. The Cabinet had assigned the task of establishing the iconic towers to the Andhra Pradesh Technology Services Limited (APTSL), which would henceforth promote information technology in the state. It would also participate in similar tasks in other States on behalf of Andhra Pradesh. The Cabinet had set the target of completing these towers in six months to one year. (ANI)