Odisha’s Biju Janata Dal to support GST bill

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Dec 20:

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today made it clear that his party Biju Janata Dal (BJD) would support the Goods & Services Tax (GST) Bill in the Parliament.

“My party supports the GST because it is good for the state and good for the country,” said Patnaik while addressing the ‘Business Standard Odisha Round Table – 2015’ in Bhubaneswar today.

Speaking about center-state relation and some of the burning issues affecting it– such as the Polavaram issue, special category status for the state and the drought situation, he added that his party will keep the interest of Odisha in mind and will do the needful. “These are separate issues. We will support whatever is good for the state,” he added.

Earlier delivering the keynote address on ‘Ease of Doing Business’, Patnaik said, “We will continue to implement business reforms to make it smooth for the companies to do business in the state. One of the key reforms planned to be implemented in the next two to three years is the operationalisation of online combined application form”.

He further assured of greater investment and employment generation in the state in coming years.

There would be investments to the tune of Rs 1,70,000 crore within next three years across various sectors and that would create about 3,50,000 employments in the state by 2019, assured the Chief Minister.

Talking about the future course of action, Patnaik highlighted the plans of the government to intensify focus on health and education in coming years. Besides, he added that necessary steps would be taken to alleviate poverty and implement other welfare schemes for the backward and downtrodden.