Industry to be safeguarded from GST delay: Piyush Goyal

NEW DELHI: To ensure that businesses do not suffer due to delay in the GST bill passage, the government will "find another way" to bring the benefits of the law to the industry, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said today.

"Even if GST is not passed in Parliament, we will find another way to bring the benefits of law so that industry and business does not suffer," Goyal said in a tweet.

However, he did not elaborate on the alternate ways.

Finance Ministry had earlier expressed hope that the Goods and Services Tax regime, the constitution amendment bill for which has been stalled in the Rajya Sabha, will be rolled out in 2016.

Congress leader Anand Sharma had yesterday said that the April 1 deadline for rolling out GST will not be met "even if the trinity of Gods - Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh - descend on earth", as the government has not yet completed the preparatory work for the new indirect tax regime.

Talking about the construction of toilets under Swachh Vidyalaya Abhiyan, Goyal tweeted, "PSUs under my Ministries alone have constructed 1,28,000 toilets under Swachh Vidyalaya Abhiyan. Separate toilets for boys & girls."

"Every government school in the country now has a separate toilet for boys & girls," he said in another tweet.

Goyal, who also holds the new and renewable energy portfolio, highlighted the country's 175 GW green energy target by 2022.

"India's renewable program is the largest in the world. 175GW by 2022. 5x growth in 7 years. Entire world is appreciating.

"India's consumption of coal is 0.5 tonnes per capita in 2015, what the US had 150 years back," he said.

Regarding the government's package for state discoms, he said, "Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojna #UDAY scheme to turn around DISCOMs, also saves capital for PSBs."