Revise GST on food items, Andhra Pradesh chambers urges FM

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation (AP Chambers) has submitted a representation to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urging her to revise the GST rates on essential food items. The AP Chambers stated that the decision taken in the 47th GST Council meeting to increase the GST on cereals and pre-packaged food items has imposed an additional burden on people.

It also mentioned the imposition of 5% GST on pre-packaged and labelled pulses and cereals like rice and wheat, curd, paneer, lassi, jaggery, honey, puffed rice and flour has made regular food items costlier for the common man.The introduction of 5% GST on many food items will further bring down the purchasing power of the people, besides impacting the consumption of food products, it opined.

Stating that the new GST rates have added more woes to the ever increasing households’ budget and will impact the household demand and consumption patterns adversely, the AP Chambers requested GST Council Chairperson Nirmala Sitharaman to take into consideration all these factors and revise the GST rates on essential food items to the level prior to the 47th GST Council meeting.