Punjab Finance Minister Cheema thanks GST Council for accepting state’s demand for lowering tax on pencil sharpeners

New Delhi, February 18

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday expressed gratitude towards the GST Council for accepting the state’s demand of lowering GST on pencil sharpeners from 18 per cent to 12 per cent.

Participating in the 49th GST Council meeting held under the Chairpersonship of Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi today, Harpal Singh Cheema said that this decision would provide some relief to students and their parents. It is worth mentioning here that Cheema had opposed the proposal of considering the GST on pencil sharpeners at 18 per cent instead of the existing slab of 12 per cent, while participating in the 48th meeting of the GST Council through video conferencing on December 17.

The Punjab Finance Minister also thanked the GST Council for deciding to clear the entire pending balance GST compensation of for June 2022. He said that this has become possible due to concrete and persistent efforts made by the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Government. He said that this decision would help the state in getting Rs 995 Crore as balance GST compensation pending for June 2022.

On the issue of the GST Tribunal, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said this power should be given to the states to strengthen the federal structure of the nation rather than establishing the Appellate Tribunal at the national level. He said that India is a big country and every state has its own challenges. “Instead of forming a tribunal at the national level, each state should have its own tribunal so that issues related to GST can be resolved better and faster”, he added.

He added that the selection of the state member for the tribunal should also be decided by the state. He said that the state government would study the final draft amendments to the GST laws for its comments.