ITANAGAR, Sep 18: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein has emphasized on the protection of areca nut plantations in Arunachal Pradesh and other North Eastern states since it is one of the revenue-earning crops for the small farmers.
Many farmers cultivate areca nuts in large scale and there is vast scope for its expansion owing to the huge available land mass of the state, he said while attending the 45th GST Council meeting at Lucknow on Friday.
During the meeting, chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Dy CM Mein, also the Minister in-charge of Finance, gave suggestions on various issues concerning the State. On the issue of compulsory nomination of state officers on the board of Goods & Services Tax Network (GSTN), he told the Council that Arunachal has limited senior level officers in the department and that mid-level officers may be allowed to be nominated from the State. The GST Council agreed to the proposition of the Dy Chief Minister and asked the State to take its own appropriate call.
Mein also participated in discussion on other issues like exemption of COVID related medicines, National Anti-Profiteering Authority, rationalization and change of tax rate on various items and review of revenue position under Goods and Services of the States and the country.
The GST Council meeting was also attended by Union Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Choudhary and Finance Ministers from the States and Union Territories. Mein was accompanied by Commissioner (Tax & Excise) Kanki Darang and Superintendent (Tax, Excise & Narcotics) Nakut Padung.