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PM Modi fires GST barb at retiring RS members
Conveying his best wishes to the retiring members of the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday wished the GST Bill to have been passed in their presence.
Conveying his best wishes to the retiring members of the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday wished the GST Bill to have been passed in their presence.
"I wish all the members retiring from the Rajya Sabha. Both the governments (UPA and the current regime) benefitted a lot from your experience. After leaving the Rajya Sabha, I assure you that this government would continue to serve in the same way as it has been doing during your tenure as the members," Prime Minister Modi said in the Upper House.
He also noted their contribution to parliamentary proceedings and important decisions that have been taken.
"You represent the states and development of those states should be your priority. However, you will definitely regret about two things. Had you taken decision on these two then the states you represent would have been surely proud of you?" he said.
The Prime Minister regretted that the House could not clear the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill and the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2016.
He underlined that the GST Bill would have immensely benefited all states, except two including Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Prime Minister Modi said had the Afforestation Fund Bill 2016 been passed, all states would have gained 42,000 crore rupees. The bill intended to allocate funds under the public accounts of the Centre as well as the states for compensatory afforestation. The legislation, passed by the Lok Sabha, envisages strengthening the Green India programme, wild life protection and other related activities.
The Prime Minister also showered praise on the retiring members for their contribution in making major decisions in the Rajya Sabha.
"Those who will come back, I am sure will definitely do something for development of their states," he added.
16 of the 53 members, who will retire before the next Parliament session in July, belong to the Congress, which has also been the chief architect in blocking the Modi Government's GST plans in the Rajya Sabha where the BJP is in minority.
