UPA conceived GST Bill: Himachal CM

Shimla, Aug 4 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Thursday said it was the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government that conceived the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill.

"The Congress was in favour of the bill (that was passed unanimously by the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday)," the Chief Minister told reporters here.

"In fact, the UPA government had brought this bill," he said.

Himachal Pradesh Principal Secretary Finance Shrikant Baldi said the state would definitely be benefitted with the GST.

"Since we are the consumer state, we would get benefit from the bill," he added.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Anurag Thakur, who is from Himachal Pradesh, said the GST would bear a positive impact on the emerging environment of Indian economy.

"The GST will help curtailing tax evasion and reducing the cascading effect of taxes," he said in a statement.