Nirmala Sitharaman to visit Assam on Nov 7; CM reviews preparations in Dispur
Assam CM chaired high-level meeting overseeing prepatory arrangements before Union Finance Minister’s visit to the state
High-level meeting chaired by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma (Photo: @CMOfficeAssam/x)
Guwahati, Oct 18: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will visit Assam on November 7 and 8, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced, on Saturday.
Sarma made the announcement after chairing a high-level preparatory meeting in Dispur to review arrangements for the Union Minister’s visit.
Taking to social media, the Chief Minister said he held detailed discussions on Sitharaman’s scheduled programmes and events, and directed officials to ensure that all preparations are completed in a timely and coordinated manner.
“Chaired a preparatory meeting in Dispur to review arrangements for the forthcoming visit of Hon'ble Union Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman to Assam on 7th and 8th November. Took detailed stock of the programmes and directed officials for timely coordination,” Sarma posted on a micro-blogging website.
This would be Sitharaman's second visit to the Northeast in four months. Earlier in July, the Finance Minister took a four-day tour of Meghalaya, where she inaugurated the Northeast Conclave and several development projects.
Meanwhile, the Centre on Saturday said that the benefits of recent GST cuts, which came into force from September 22, have been extended to consumers during the festive season, as consumption remains one of the key drivers of economic growth.
Addressing the press, Finance Minister Sitharaman said that the recent GST reforms have brought about a positive trend in terms of consumption.
“Tax reductions have not only happened for the festive season. These reductions mean more collections, so better fiscal room to give something back. Demand will sustain even after the festive season,” the Minister said.
She added that the GST dispute resolution mechanism has taken off very well.
Since the implementation of the recent reforms, the National Consumer Helpline logged 3,981 calls concerning GST-related issues as of October 2. Of these, 31 per cent were general queries and 69 per cent were formal grievances sent for further action.
Out of the total grievances, 1,992 have been forwarded to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) for redressal, while 761 were referred in real time to relevant companies for direct resolution.
According to the Finance Minister, most complaints are related to a mismatch between consumer understanding of GST cuts and their actual implementation.
On sectoral impact, Sitharaman said GST reductions on drugs, medicines, and related equipment are being closely monitored to ensure the benefits are passed on to consumers.
“The automobile sector has been very encouraging about GST cuts being passed on, which has led to an increase in sales,” she added.