New Delhi: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh has appreciated the cooperation and positive response from the people of Meghalaya in adopting the new ‘One Nation, One Tax’ GST reform along with the rest of the country. Dr Singh said this signifies not only the inclination of this North-Eastern State to be a part of the economic reform happening in rest of India, but also a reiteration of the people of Meghalaya to be a part of the fast-track development and reform journey led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Minister was briefed here about the progress in GST implementation in Meghalaya by a delegation of public representatives and civil society activists led by Member of Parliament, Mr Conrad Sangma, Ministry for Development of North-East Region said in a statement today. Referring to a series of developmental initiatives undertaken by the Union Government in Meghalaya during the last three years, Dr Singh said the work is in progress to lay a broad gauge rail track in the state. This has, he said, inspired people’s faith in the Government. Dr Singh also informed Mr Sangma and other members of delegation that the upgradation of air-strip at Shillong Airport will be funded by the Ministry of DoNER. Dr Singh also had a word of appreciation for the increasing flow of tourists witnessed during the last two years and said he was particularly gratified by the trend of ‘Home Tourism’ which had picked-up in Meghalaya in the last two years. This was, according to him, not only a boost for tourists but also generated means of livelihood for local people, particularly youth. Mr Sangma also placed before Dr Singh the issue of proposed shifting of the Excise and Customs Chief Commissioner’s office from Shillong to Guwahati. He said, considering the commendable job done by the Excise and Customs Commissionerate in implementing GST, this plan could be reconsidered so that the Chief Commissioner’s office continued to be stationed in Shillong, as has been the tradition for several years in the past. Dr Singh conveyed to Mr Sangma that he would put up before the Union Finance Minister, the issue of feasibility or desirability of continuing the Excise and Customs Chief Commissionerate Office in Shillong.
