Arunachal: Chowna Mein Attends 56th GST Council Meeting; Wide-ranging Tax Cuts Announced
The Council deliberated on next-generation GST reforms focusing on rationalisation of tax rates, simplification of compliance, and correction of inverted duty structures.
NEW DELHI- Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Chowna Mein, on September 2 attended the 56th meeting of the GST Council held in New Delhi under the chairpersonship of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, with the presence of Union MoS Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, Chief Ministers, Deputy Chief Ministers, Governors, and Finance Ministers from several States and Union Territories.
The Council deliberated on next-generation GST reforms focusing on rationalisation of tax rates, simplification of compliance, and correction of inverted duty structures.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced sweeping tax reductions effective September 22, aimed at easing the burden on common citizens, boosting the agriculture and health sectors, and providing relief to industries.
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Key Announcements:
- Household Items: GST on hair oil, soaps, shampoos, toothbrushes, bicycles, and kitchenware slashed to 5%; ultra-high temperature milk, paneer, and all Indian breads brought under nil rate.
- Food Products: GST on namkeen, noodles, chocolates, coffee, cornflakes, butter, and ghee reduced to 5%.
- Consumer Durables: GST on air-conditioners, televisions, and dishwashing machines cut from 28% to 18%.
- Agriculture: All agri equipment taxed at 5% instead of 12%.
- Automobiles: GST on small cars, motorcycles up to 350cc, buses, trucks, ambulances, and three-wheelers reduced from 28% to 18%; uniform 18% GST on all auto parts.
- Healthcare: GST on 33 life-saving drugs reduced to nil; several cancer and rare-disease medicines exempted.
- Insurance: No GST on all life insurance and health insurance policies, including term, ULIP, and family floater policies.
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Finance Minister Sitharaman underlined that these reforms, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Viksit Bharat”, will ease living costs for citizens and encourage investment and stability in the economy.
On the sidelines, Deputy CM Chowna Mein welcomed the decisions, saying, “These reforms will benefit farmers, MSMEs, the middle class, women, and youth alike. Arunachal Pradesh will play a proactive role in ensuring these benefits reach every section of society.”
The 56th GST Council meeting is being hailed as a landmark reform step, aligning India’s indirect taxation regime with the goals of growth, transparency, and economic empowerment.
