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Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday stressed that India has the best taxation system in the world, characterized by transparency, rule of law, and stability in tax policies.
While addressing the inaugural session of an Appreciation Course in Parliamentary Processes and Procedures for a group of 73 Officer Trainees (OTs) of IRS (Customs & Indirect Taxes) comprising officers from 74th and 75th batch and 5 Officer Trainees of Royal Bhutan Customs held at the Parliament House complex, Birla said that due to these policies and laws, companies and people from around the world are eager to invest in India. The course was organized by the Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE), Lok Sabha Secretariat. He noted that India has emerged as one of the favourite investment destinations for global investors due to its stable tax policy. Referring to the tax reform measures, particularly, the Goods and Services Tax (GST), Birla highlighted that recent measures have simplified taxation and have brought ease of doing business in India. GST has introduced the system of "One Nation, One Tax" in our country and the entire world is keen to learn from it, he added. Birla mentioned that the Parliament and government have periodically made improvements to the taxation system, which is why India's taxation system today is considered one of the most transparent and reliable in the world. He added that the excellent work done by IRS Officers has strengthened India's economy, leading to investors from around the world investing in India. The Lok Sabha speaker informed the Officer Trainees that the country's budget was around Rs 170 crores in 1947, which has now increased to over Rs 40 lakh crores, adding that it is the result of the efforts and contributions of officers like them. Stressing that our Constitution and shared democratic values have guided India's progress, Birla noted that our founding fathers have established a model of parliamentary democracy that has shown the world how to unite a diverse population comprising people of different languages, religions, and cultures. He said that in the last 75 years of the nation's democratic journey, the Parliament of India has not only made amendments to the Constitution but also created welfare schemes for every section of society. On this occasion, Birla led the officers in reading the Preamble to the Constitution. He exhorted them to take their service as their mission to ensure that the nation moves forward towards a better future. The LS Speaker underlined that the responsibilities given to the Officer Trainees must be fulfilled with transparency, honesty, and efficiency. He expressed confidence that with their hard work, skill, and technical knowledge, they will not only increase the nation's revenue but also establish ethical values in society. The Service is at the forefront of regularizing revenue, transparent collection of revenue, and increasing revenue with honesty and diligence, he added. He hoped that the appreciation course would enhance their understanding of the functioning of Parliament and the law-making which would make them better officers and make their contribution to the nation even more impactful. Secretary General of Lok Sabha Utpal Kumar Singh delivered the welcome address on this occasion. Joint Secretary, Lok Sabha Gaurav Goyal proposed the vote of thanks. Gaigongdin Panmei, Principal Director General, NACIN were also present on the occasion. (ANI)
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