Harpal Singh Cheema: Don’t increase GST on educational goods

Chandigarh, December 17

Describing any increase in GST on goods related to education as a step against the interests of the students, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday opposed the proposal of imposing GST on pencil sharpeners at 18 per cent instead of the existing 12 percent. He said this while participating in the 48th meeting of the GST Council through video conferencing.

Opposing another recommendation regarding the change in GST rates for ethyl alcohol supplied to refineries for blending with petrol, Cheema said it would create difficulties in checking the diversion of ENA to refineries and evasion of tax on the same. Referring to the recent observation by the Supreme Country, he said the Punjab Government has already waged a war against the illegal trade of ENA. He said that it would be a challenge to monitor the tax on ethyl alcohol blended with motor spirit for refineries and curbing the misuse of ENA.

Disagreeing on another agenda regarding the deletion of clause (d) of sub-rule (14) of Rule 138 regarding e-way bills, he said this step would take away the power of the state to determine the minimum threshold for inter-sate generation of an e-way bill. “As a corollary, the state has already moved an agenda for empowering the states to prescribe e-way bills for certain goods irrespective of the threshold,” he said.

The Council agreed to keep the status quo in this regard.