Raj Thackeray favours collection of GST by local bodies

MNS chief Raj Thackeray has said GST should be collected by local self-government bodies instead of the Centre.

If the Centre fails to give the state its share in the GST then the local self bodies will collapse, he said.

Raj was speaking to newsmen last evening here where he came to thank and appreciate the 'Govindas' who had gone ahead with the Dahi Handi celebrations as usual despite the SC curb.

Stating GST was a good step forward in tax reforms, he said local self bodies should collect it and give the state and the Centre their due share.

"But the Centre by collecting the same wants to have control over the states," he alleged.

The two Houses of the Maharashtra legislature are set to meet for a special session today and pass a one-line resolution with regard to the ratification of the Constitution Amendment Bill on Goods and Service Tax (GST).

Legislature sources said barring the reservations of Sena, all other political parties were on board for unanimous ratification of the Bill.

Sena has reservations in particular about the compensation to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) which would be losing Rs 7,500-crore octroi annually, largely from the the imported crude oil, after GST rolls out.

Passed by Parliament recently, the GST bill needs to be ratified by at least 15 state legislatures before the President can notify the GST Council which will decide the new tax rate and other issues.

The government has set April 1, 2017 as target date for rolling out GST, considered as the biggest tax reform in the country since Independence.