Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has slammed the government over GST rate hike. The decision to hike GST on some items were taken in the recently held 47th GST Council meeting in Chandigarh. Taking to Twitter, the Congress leader said," This GST rate hike is breathtakingly irresponsible at a time of mounting economic difficulties for most Indians. The Aam Aadmi will bear the brunt of the burden even as inflation eats into his earnings. Does this government believe it can get away with anything?"
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has slammed the government over GST rate hike. The decision to hike GST on some items were taken in the recently held 47th GST Council meeting in Chandigarh. Taking to Twitter, the Congress leader said," This GST rate hike is breathtakingly irresponsible at a time of mounting economic difficulties for most Indians. The Aam Aadmi will bear the brunt of the burden even as inflation eats into his earnings. Does this government believe it can get away with anything?"
Pre-packaged and labelled pulses, and cereals like rice, wheat, and flour (atta) will now attract GST at the rate of 5 per cent when branded and packed in a unit container from today.
Other items such as curd, lassi, and puffed rice too would attract GST at the rate of 5 per cent when pre-packaged and labelled.
Other items that will be dearer are printing, writing or drawing ink, knives with cutting blades, paper knives, pencil sharpeners and blades, spoons, forks, ladles, skimmers, and cake-servers. These items would now attract 18 per cent instead of 12 per cent.
LED lamps and solar water heaters too will attract 18 per cent tax.
Further, Tetra Pak (or aseptic packaging paper) used for packaging liquid beverages or dairy products will now attract 18 per cent GST instead of 12 per cent. Cut and Polished diamonds will be taxed at 1.5 per cent compared to 0.25 per cent earlier.
Also, hotel accommodation rates up to ₹1000 per day will now be now taxed at 12 per cent,
On the other hand, tax on transport of goods and passengers by ropeways would decline to 5 per cent from 18 per cent.
Renting of truck/goods carriage where the cost of fuel is included will be cheaper as the tax is reduced to 12 per cent instead of 18 per cent.