Odisha to hold special assembly session to ratify GST Bill

Bhubaneswar, Aug 23 (IANS) The Odisha government on Tuesday decided to convene a special session of the assembly on September 1 to ratify the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, which was passed by Parliament earlier this month.

The decision to hold a one-day session of the legislature was taken by the cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, said Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi.

He said the Odisha government is in favour of GST.

The cabinet also decided to defer the monsoon session of the assembly from September 7 to September 21.

Also approved was the introduction of a legislation for the formation of a Higher Education Council that will advise the Odisha government on improving the quality of higher education, Padhi said.

The chairperson of the council will be the Higher Education Minister and Vice Chairperson will an academician or an administrator, he said.

The council will have 15 other members including three university vice chancellors, two principals of autonomous colleges, one nominee of the central government, two eminent scientists, and seven persons of various backgrounds.