When was the concept of GST introduced to India?

The concept of GST (Goods and Services Tax) was first introduced to India on 1st April 2010 by the then Union Finance Minister of India, Pranab Mukherjee, in his budget speech. A committee was set up to design the GST model for India, which was chaired by the Chief Economic Advisor, Dr. Raghuram Rajan. The committee submitted its report in 2011, which recommended the implementation of a dual GST structure for India. The GST Bill was introduced in Parliament in 2014, and after much debate and deliberation, it was finally passed in 2017. The GST was officially implemented in India on 1st July 2017, replacing all the previous indirect taxes such as excise duty, service tax, and value-added tax.