Legislative Council thanks Modi for GST reforms

Guntur: The Legislative Council on Monday passed a resolution thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for implementing GST 2.0 reforms, which came into force the same day.

Finance minister Payyavula Keshav, moving the resolution, said the reforms would benefit all sections of society by lowering prices of essential commodities and consumer goods. “With reduced GST slabs, items such as milk, ghee, milk products, air-conditioners, refrigerators, cars, two-wheelers, soaps and shampoos will become cheaper, directly benefiting consumers,” he said. The minister appealed to the )pposition to extend support in passing the resolution.

Leader of Opposition Botcha Satyanarayana, while noting that the Centre had already collected ₹55 lakh crore through GST since its introduction, stopped short of stating his party’s stand on supporting the resolution.

Despite the protests, the resolution thanking the Prime Minister was adopted by the House. Earlier, YSRCP MLCs wearing black badges staged demonstrations against the proposed privatisation of ten government medical colleges under the PPP model. Raising slogans and displaying placards, they disrupted proceedings and demanded an immediate discussion on the issue.

Civil supplies minister Dr Nadendla Manohar and agriculture minister K Atchannaidu urged Chairman Koyye Moshenu Raju to restore order in the House. Atchannaidu assured that the matter of medical college privatization would be taken up before the end of the current session.

Following repeated disruptions, Chairman Moshenu Raju adjourned the Council temporarily, which later reconvened to take up discussion on GST reforms.