CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday wrote a letter to the Union finance minister Arun Jaitley and demanded immediate withdrawal of 5% GST on food stuff in containers meant for free distribution among economically weaker sections (EWS) of the society.
The decision to impose 5% GST was taken in the GST council's 22nd meeting held on October 16. As per the notification, CGST and SGST would be distributed equally between the Centre and the state government.
Amarinder has dubbed the imposition of GST on food stuff in containers as a 'retrograde step' and stressed the need to introduce welfare programmes for the EWS at a time when farmers were reeling under debt and resorting to suicides.
"The move puts tax burden on the state government by the central government for running such welfare schemes, as the state governments would be required to pay CGST on these items," he said.
The decision to impose 5% GST was taken in the GST council's 22nd meeting held on October 16. As per the notification, CGST and SGST would be distributed equally between the Centre and the state government.
Amarinder has dubbed the imposition of GST on food stuff in containers as a 'retrograde step' and stressed the need to introduce welfare programmes for the EWS at a time when farmers were reeling under debt and resorting to suicides.
"The move puts tax burden on the state government by the central government for running such welfare schemes, as the state governments would be required to pay CGST on these items," he said.
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