New Delhi: With only West Bengal sending in the draft amendments to Value-added Tax (VAT) Bill, the Finance Ministry on May 15 said a new roadmap will be drawn up for the implementation of the progressive tax regime, which was to be effective from June 1.

An official statement said the new roadmap would be drawn up in consultation with main political parties and the Empowered Committee of state finance ministers.

Though 15 states had agreed to implement VAT, so far the ministry has received the draft amendments to VAT Bill only from West Bengal so as to bring its legislation in line with the latest decision of the committee.

Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have conveyed their willingness to get the amendments legislated.

The Finance Ministry made it clear that this progressive taxation system, would be implemented "only after full preparation" to enable all states to reap "full" benefits of the new tax regime, replacing the sales tax in states.

VAT was originally to be introduced by all states from April 1, 2001, but was deferred thrice subsequently, as many states were not ready with their necessary legislations.

The Empowered committee chairman and West Bengal Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta had claimed after the recent meeting that 11 states were ready with the legislation and would be sending the proposals to the Centre for an early Presidential assent.

PTI