Idli dosa batter to raincoats - 40 things to cost less under GST now

New Delhi: As many as 40 products, including daily use ones like idli and dosa batter, raincoat, brooms and corduroy fabric, will cost less as the GST Council has lowered taxes on them.

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, at its 21st meeting in Hyderabad yesterday, also decided to reduce levy on computer monitors of up to 20 inches, cotton quilts, rubber bands and kitchen gas lighters.

As per the list of items uploaded on the website of the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), khadi fabric sold through KVIC shops have been exempted from GST, which was implemented from July 1.

Also, rate on saree fall, dhoop batti, corduroy fabric, walnut, dried tamarind and roasted gram has been brought down to 5 per cent, from 12 per cent earlier.

The rate revision in these 40 items followed after the fitment committee noticed anomalies in GST levied in these products.

Accordingly, plastic raincoats and rubber bands have been fitted in the slab of 18 per cent and 12 per cent, respectively, as against the earlier 28 per cent.

Idli and dosa batter will attract 12 per cent GST, against 18 per cent before, while brooms and brushes have been totally exempted from the levy.

Kitchen gas lighters will attract 18 per cent compared to 28 per cent GST earlier while prayer beads will fall in the 5 per cent slab against 18 per cent previously.

As against 28 per cent, computer monitors with size of up to 20 inches will attract 18 per cent-- thus bringing it on par with those whose screen size is up to 17 inches.

Cotton quilts costing up to Rs 1,000 will attract 5 per cent while those above that will face 12 per cent GST, against the earlier uniform rate of 18 per cent.

Tableware, kitchenware, other household items and toilet articles of porcelain or china or those other than porcelain or china clay will be levied 12 per cent against 18 per cent and 28 per cent, respectively.

All goods, including bells, gongs and the like, non-electric, of base metal; statuettes and other ornaments of base metal will attract 12 per cent GST compared to 18 per cent earlier.