Andhra Pradesh Assembly passes nine bills, including AP Private Universities Amendment Bill

AMARAVATI: The Andhra Pradesh State Legislative Assembly has passed nine bills on the third day of the monsoon session on Monday.

Of them, four bills were unanimously passed that included AP Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) (Amendment) Bill, 2023, AP Public Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2023, AP Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

After question the hour, Speaker Tammineni Seetaram took up the bills proposed by the Ministers and passed them through a voice vote.

The House also passed Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (Absorption of Employees into Government Service) (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Andhra Pradesh Motor Vehicle Taxation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Andhra Pradesh Assigned Lands (Prohibition of Transfers) (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Andhra Pradesh Bhoodan and Gramdan (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

Speaking after tabling the Goods and Services Tax Amendment Bill-2023, Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy said, “All types of goods and services taxes in the country have become part of GST. It is a normal process for States to implement as per the decision taken by the GST Council.” Amendments in the Bill on inclusion of Electronic and Commerce Operators (ECOs) in the ambit of tax, extension of deadline for payment of tax, fixed deadline for returns, 100 per cent refund, interest payments, implementation of special payments are not covered by goods and services Act, he added.

Referring to the AP Public Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Rajendranath said, “The main objective of this amendment bill is to recognize and encourage sportspersons who have excelled in sports and thereby inspire the youth of the State. One such sportsperson is Sheikh Zafareen from Kurnool district.”

The Finance Minister said that Zafareen is Indian Deaf Tennis Team captain and she won the national award in 2020. Zafareen is a native of Kurnool district and she pursued her graduation in Osmania College in Kurnool. Currently, she is studying MCA at St Ann's Women College, Mehdipatnam in Hyderabad. Zafareen won several medals in various national and international level events. Recognising her efforts, Andhra Pradesh gave her a Group-1 Job under Sports Sector as Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies under Department of Agriculture, he said.