CAIT has demanded that the 5 percent GST tax on unbranded food grains and other items should be withdrawn immediately and for this purpose GST Council should call an emergency meeting. In this regard CAIT has written letter to   Finance Ministers of all the states.

Confederation of All India Traders
"Vyapar Bhawan
925/1, Naiwala, Karol Bagh, New Delhi- 110005.
phone: +91-11-45032664, Telefax: +91-11-45032664′
Email: [email protected] Website: www.cait.in

Ref. No.: 3457/1/50 | 20th July, 2022

Shri Yogi Adityanath
Honorable Chief Minister
Government of UP
Lucknow

Dear Shri Yogi Adityanath Ji,

Subject :- With reference to GST applicable on food grains and other items from 18/07/2022

We want to draw your kind attention towards the 5% GST tax which has been in effect from 18th July, 22 to be applied on all prepackaged and pre-labeled food grains and other items in the country in pre-packing of 25 kg /25 liters or less, even if they are non­-branded. We wish to inform you that the Traders across the country are grappling with some real difficulties in the implications of the same whereas on the other hand it will load small traders with much compliance burden.

It is a fact that since Independence, there was no Tax applicable on food grains being the item of necessity which was also endorsed by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in the year 2018.

Currently, no loose items or goods are being sold in the smallest town or village of the country, even the smallest items up to 100 grams are sold in packing. Therefore it is redundant to say that loose goods are exempted from this tax. There is no use for this exemption. They also said that goods above 25 kg have been exempted from GST. Small traders and general public of the country are also not benefited by this exemption because generally people buy goods in packs ranging from 1 kg to maximum 10 kg and they will have to pay 5% GST on them. In this era of inflation, this tax will be a double whammy on the public.

Therefore, we urge upon you to impress upon calling an emergent meeting of GST Council for taking a decision to withdraw the levy of 5% tax on unbranded goods to provide a major relief to people of the Country

Thank you. With kind regards

Yours truly
Praveen Khandelwal
National Secretary General
Confederation of All India Traders