GoM to submit recommendations for GST exemption on Covid materials by June 8: Conrad K Sangma

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday chaired a meeting of Group of Ministers constituted to examine the need for GST concession on Covid-19 materials and said they will submit their recommendations by June 8.

"We will make sure that we submit our recommendations before the 8th of this month," Conrad told reporters after chairing the GOM meeting via video conferencing here.

The 8-member GOM was constituted by the Finance Ministry to examine the need for GST concession or exemption and make recommendations on Covid-19 vaccines, drugs, and medicines for coronavirus treatment, testing kits for its detection.

The other items include medical grade oxygen, pulse oximeters, hand sanitisers, oxygen therapy equipment such as concentrators, generators and ventilators, PPE kits, N95 masks, surgical masks, temperature checking equipment, and other items required for Covid relief.

The other members include Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitinbhai Patel, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Goa Minister for Transport and Panchayati Raj, Housing, Protocol and Legislative Affairs Mauvin Godinho, Kerala Minister for Finance KN Balagopal, Telangana Minister for Finance T Harish Rao, and UP Minister for Finance Suresh Kr Khanna.

The GoM chairman said, "We are happy with the recommendations and we are hopeful that they will be accepted by the GST Council, which will make a decision on this."

Refusing to divulge further details on the recommendations, Sangma said the GOM has discussed almost all the items recommended by the GST Fitment Committee and the basic principle was to see that tax reductions would give benefit directly to the people.

"Therefore, items that are personal-oriented that people or patients have to directly buy, we made sure that we bring down the concession and the rates to the amount possible so that in these difficult times, maximum relief can be given.

"Based on that, large numbers of recommendations have been given and there have been several items where we have recommended the rates to be reduced so that the people can directly get the benefit," he added.