Traders across the country on Monday welcomed the latest GST reforms, calling them a decisive step towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
They said the reduction in tax rates on a wide range of goods will ease the burden on consumers and boost demand in the long run.
Jayen Mehta, Managing Director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which markets Amul products, said the GST rate cut has brought down prices of several dairy items.
“The GST on ice cream has come down from 18 per cent to 5 per cent, while butter, ghee and cheese are now taxed at 5 per cent instead of 12 per cent. Long-life milk and paneer have been moved to the zero per cent GST bracket,” he said.
Mehta added that Amul has passed on the benefit of reduced GST to consumers by cutting prices across more than 700 products.
“This will boost consumption, which in turn will benefit 3.6 million farmer families associated with Amul and nearly 8–10 crore households dependent on dairy in the country,” he noted.
Arun Gupta, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Jammu, described the reform as a “Navratri gift” from Prime Minister Modi to the people.
He said lower GST rates on essential goods and services, including educational material and health insurance, would bring major relief to the middle and lower-income classes.
CCI Chhattisgarh President Amar Parwani said the move would directly encourage consumer spending, leading to growth in manufacturing and job creation.
“I thank both the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister for this significant step,” he said.
Echoing similar sentiments, Amit Goel, General Secretary of the Runawala Businessmen Association, said the biggest relief has come in the form of lower GST on daily-use items.
“More and more people will now be able to afford essential goods, which will stay within their purchasing power,” he remarked.
Sanjay Gupta, President of the Raghunath Bazaar Association, also welcomed the move, saying the demand for a simpler GST structure had been pending for a long time.
“With lower rates, goods will become cheaper and consumers will increase their purchases. Overall, this is a positive step that will boost consumption and benefit the common man,” he said.
Another small business owner Vinay Chandra said the decision to bring milk and other daily-use food items under the zero per cent GST category is a major relief.
“Earlier, many essentials had 5 per cent GST, but now shifting them to zero will directly benefit poor families. It will also reduce kitchen expenses and support household budgets,” he said.
Picture Courtesy: IANS
