Sikkim Assembly passes Bill on VAT

The Sikkim Sales Tax (amendment) Bill will pave the way for the imposition of the Value-Added Tax regime in the state.

Sikkim Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed the Sikkim Sales Tax (amendment) Bill paving the way for the imposition of the Value-Added Tax regime in the state.

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While tabling the Bill in the House on Wednesday, Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, who also holds the Finance portfolio, had said that the amendment was being introduced to facilitate the repeal of those provisions of Sikkim Sales Tax act, 1983 which fall under the purview of the Sikkim Value Added Tax act, 2005.

The Bill will also help in continuing the enforcement of the Sikkim Sales Tax act, 1983 in respect of those commodities and products not covered by the provisions of the Sikkim Value Added Tax act, 2005, which will come into force in the state from April one this year.

The House also unanimously passed two other Bills on Thursday -- Sikkim Medical Registration bill and the Sikkim Ecology Fund and Environment cess bill.

While the Sikkim medical registration Bill is aimed at setting up the state's own council for the registration of medical practitioners, the Sikkim Ecology fund and environment cess Bill seeks to levy environmental cess on cost price of non-biodegradable materials entering the state and threatening its fragile ecology.