New Delhi: The GST Council has reportedly sought the opinion of States on hiking the tax rates of 143 items including essential commodities. Of these, the GST rates of 92 per cent items would be hiked from 18 to 28 per cent.
The items, whose GST rates were reduced during the months before the last Lok Sabha elections, are now being hiked.
Criticising the proposed hike in GST rates, Congress slammed the government for putting an additional burden on the common man who is already reeling under price rise.
The items whose GST rates are going to be raised to 28 per cent include power banks, chewing gum, handbag, watches, suitcase, TVs below 32 inches, chocolate, walnut, ceramic sink, washbasin, cooling glass, frames of spectacles, cloth, leather accessories and non-alcoholic beverages.
The GST on many of these items was reduced during the 2017 and 2018 periods.
There are reports that 5 per cent GST would be levied on pappad and jaggery.
The GST of items which currently have a GST of 18 per cent are likely to be revised and hiked to 28 per cent. Such items include watches, leather products, razors, perfume, lotion, cocoa powder, chocolate, coffee extract, plywood, washbasin, windows, electric switch, socket and bags.
The GST on custard powder will be raised from 5 per cent to 18 per cent, and wooden tables, and kitchen appliances from 12 to 18 per cent.
The Central government had taken a decision in 2017 to exempt 178 items including restaurants from 28 per cent GST.
Meanwhile, media reports said the GST Council has not sought views from states on hiking tax rates,
The reports quotted sources as saying that that the panel of ministers looking into GST rate rationalisation is yet to submit its report to the GST Council.
Stating that views have not been sought from states on hiking rates on 143 items, sources said, there is also no proposal to shift more than half of items to the highest tax GST slab of 28 per cent.
The Council had last year set up a panel of state ministers, headed by Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, to suggest ways to augment revenue by rationalising tax rates.
