VAT panel meet today

A crucial meeting of the empowered committee on state-level value added tax VAT will be held here on Tuesday to thrash out the problems that have stalled the implementation of the system from April 1.

West Bengal finance minister Asim Dasgupta who is also the chairman of the committee, will preside over the meeting. The empowered committee comprises finance ministers of only about half-a-dozen states, but other states are not barred from attending it.

Most states have announced that they would implement VAT only after their neighbours have done so. Some would prefer to wait till the meeting.