(a) whether the Government has urged the State Governments to include products
such as natural gas and petroleum into the category of declared Goods;
(b) if so, the likely outcome of the said inclusion;
(c) whether the Government had also announced reduction in rates of certain taxes
before persuading the State Governments to take the said step;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) if not, the reasons for asking the State Governments to take the said step?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE(SHRI S.S. PALANIMANICKAM)
(a) & (b): No, Sir. Government had only sought views of the Empowered Committee
of State Finance Ministers (EC) on the question of granting `Declared Goods`
status to domestic natural gas/regasified LNG. EC has given its views and stated
that natural gas/regasified LNG should not be brought in the `Declared Goods` list.
(c) to (e): Does not arise in view of the reply to parts (a) & (b) above.