Consumers to pay less for common items under GST: Paswan

TIL Desk/Business/New Delhi/ Consumers stand to gain from the GST rates announced for daily consumption items which will also help keeping a check on prices, Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said.

FMCG firms Dabur and Emami welcomed the rates on commonly used consumer items stating it would be beneficial but said more clarity is needed to understand overall impact. “The move will benefit consumers at large as they will pay less. Free movement of goods will ensure easy availability and keep prices under check,” Paswan told.

On the first day of a two-day meeting of the GST Council, headed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, it has been decided that commonly used products like hair oil, soaps and toothpaste will be charged with a single national sales tax or GST of 18 per cent. These items at present attract 22-24 per cent tax incidence through a combination of central and state government levies.