Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh and also the Finance Minister, introduced a bill in the state assembly aimed at modifying the taxation regulations for goods transported by road. This proposed legislation intends to eliminate the provision that imposes taxes based on the distance traveled.
On Thursday, the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh presented the Himachal Pradesh Taxation Amendment (on Specific Road Transported Goods) Act, 2023 in the state assembly following the lunch recess.
He mentioned that the original legislation from 1999 was established to authorize the imposition of taxes on particular goods transported via roads within the state, validating certain levies on road-transported goods, and addressing various related matters.
The Chief Minister emphasized the need for this amendment to streamline the taxation process for all parties involved. To achieve this, the provision related to distance calculation is being removed, allowing for a consistent tax rate to be applied regardless of the distance traveled.
Additionally, the Chief Minister introduced several other bills aimed at creating provisions and modifying the Himachal Pradesh Goods and Services Tax (HP GST) Act. These changes would enable the taxation of activities such as betting, casinos, gambling, horse racing, lottery, and online gaming.
Sukhu highlighted that this move is in alignment with recent amendments made by the central government to the Central Goods & Services Tax Act of 2017, aiming to establish uniform taxation practices throughout the country. It is anticipated that this bill will be deliberated upon during the current Monsoon session of the state assembly.
