GST: Long-drawn agenda, put by Manmohan govt

First conceived by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, GST was put on the agenda by the first Manmohan Singh administration and has taken a decisive step forward under the Narendra Modi government. ET recounts the steps:

FIRST MENTION: In 2000, the Vajpayee government mooted the idea of GST, setting up an empowered committee headed by Asim Dasgupta.

KELKAR TASKFORCE ON FISCAL CONSOLIDATION: This mooted the idea while suggesting the FRBM (fiscal responsibility and budget management) framework in 2003.

FEBRUARY 28, 2006: Then finance minister P Chidambaram formally introduced the concept of GST in his budget speech. April 1, 2010 was set as the deadline for rollout.

FEBRUARY 28, 2007: Chidambaram reiterated the commitment, said the empowered committee of state finance ministers had agreed to work with the central government to prepare a road map.

MAY 10, 2007: Empowered committee of state finance ministers decide to set up a joint working group.

APRIL 30, 2008: Panel submits “A Model and Roadmap for GST in India” to the government led by Manmohan Singh.

NOVEMBER 10, 2009: Empowered committee submits detailed paper on goods and services tax.

DECEMBER 29, 2009: Kelkarheaded 13th Finance Commission makes some suggestions on GST.

FEBRUARY 26, 2010: Then FM Pranab Mukherjee postpones rollout to April 2011.

MARCH 22, 2011: Constitution (115th Amendment) Bill, 2011, introduced in Lok Sabha to enable levy of GST.

Also read: Experts say GST can be rolled out in FY18

MARCH 29, 2011: Bill referred to standing committee on finance headed by Yashwant Sinha.

AUGUST 7, 2013: Committee submits report in Parliament. However, Bill lapses with dissolution of 15th Lok Sabha.

DECEMBER 18, 2014: Cabinet approves Constitution (122nd Amendment) Bill, 2014.

DECEMBER 19, 2014: Bill introduced in Lok Sabha.

MAY 6, 2015: Bill passed by Lok Sabha.

MAY 12, 2015: Bill taken up in Rajya Sabha.

MAY 14, 2015: Bill sent to joint committee of Rajya Sabha & Lok Sabha.

JULY 22, 2015: Select committee submits report.

AUGUST 1, 2016: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley moves amendments to Bill based on political consensus.

AUGUST 3, 2016: Rajya Sabha takes up and approves Bill.

Also read: GST impact across sectors: Take a look at the winners and losers