‘No GST imposed on Ganga water, other puja items,’ clarifies CBIC after Congress flays Centre
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‘No GST imposed on Ganga water, other puja items,’ clarifies CBIC after Congress flays Centre

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the Modi government of hypocrisy and loot for imposing 18% tax on Gangajal.

Sampurna Panigrahi    
Ganga in Varanasi | Representational image via Commons

Ganga in Varanasi | Representational image via Commons

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.

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.

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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