New Delhi: The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs on Thursday issued a clarification quashing certain media reports on the imposition of 18% GST on Ganga water, stating that no GST is imposed on Ganga water and other puja items.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the tax board stated that no GST is imposed on Gangajal or any other pooja (worship) items.
“Gangajal is used in pooja by households across the country and puja samagri is exempt under GST. GST on puja samagri was discussed in detail in the 14th and 15th meetings of the GST Council held on 18/19 May 2017 and 3rd Jun 2017 respectively and decided to keep them in the exempt list. Therefore, all these items have been exempt since the introduction of GST,” the CBIC posted on X.
Clarification regarding certain media reports on applicability of GST on Gangajal. pic.twitter.com/t598ahN07x
— CBIC (@cbic_india) October 12, 2023
In the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s day-long visit to Uttarakhand, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the Centre for imposing 18 per cent tax on Gangajal, calling it ‘a loot and hypocrisy.’
“It is good that you are in Uttarakhand today, but your government has imposed 18% GST on the holy Ganga water itself. Not even once did you think, what would be the burden on those who order Ganga water in their homes. This is the height of plunder and hypocrisy by your government,” the Congress president wrote.
मोदी जी,
एक आम भारतीय के जन्म से लेकर उसकी जीवन के अंत तक मोक्षदायिनी माँ गंगा का महत्त्व बहुत ज़्यादा है।
अच्छी बात है की आप आज उत्तराखंड में हैं, पर आपकी सरकार ने तो पवित्र गंगाजल पर ही 18% GST लगा दिया है।
एक बार भी नहीं सोचा कि जो लोग अपने घरों में गंगाजल मँगवाते हैं,… pic.twitter.com/Xqd5mktBZG
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) October 12, 2023
The GST council, during its 14th and 15th meetings back in May 2017, decided to exempt Gangajal, along with other pooja items, from the taxation bracket.
According to the list of goods exempted from GST, items like kajal, kumkum, bindis, sindoor, alta, plastic and glass bangles, and puja samagri of all kinds are exempted from the tax bracket, along with handloom and weaving machinery.
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