Mumbai: Goa on Wednesday became the 15th state to ratify the goods and services tax (GST) constitutional amendment bill passed by Parliament.

This means the bill is one short of the 16 states that need to ratify it before it can be sent for presidential assent.

The 40-member legislative assembly passed the 122nd constitutional amendment bill by voice vote, an official at the Goa secretariat said.

“The bill was unanimously ratified after a two-hour-long discussion," said the official who did not wish to be identified.

In the process, Goa became the seventh Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state to ratify the bill.

Addressing the legislative assembly, Goa chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar said GST will benefit Goa as it is largely a consumer state driven by revenues from tourism and the services sector. “Goa stands to benefit from GST introduction as it is a tourism-driven and consuming state. GST will also help the state improve its manufacturing sector as the devolution from the centre will be invested in building the necessary infrastructure," he added.

Leader of the Congress Legislature Party, Pratapsinh Rane, said the Congress supported the GST bill in Goa as it did in Parliament. “GST will benefit Goa as we are a consuming state with high tourist footfall and a thriving service industry, including the hospitality sector. Rationalization of tax will lead to more tourists visiting Goa and greater consumption because tourists are also consumers," Rane said.

He pointed out that the current GST bill passed by Parliament is “not a perfect bill" as it “left petroleum products and alcohol out of the purview of GST".

In a statement, Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Narayan Bandekar said GST will help Goa attract new investments in the manufacturing sector on account of its better infrastructure. “This will benefit Goa in the long run," the statement said.

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