The biggest tax revolution since Independence will begin in India from July 1, but will the differently-abled citizens be left out in the cold?

In a rate schedule decided at a meeting in Srinagar, the government's all-powerful goods and services tax (GST) council headed by finance minister Arun Jaitley has decided to impose tax ranging from 5 per cent to 18 per cent on articles used by people with disabilities.

The launch of the centralised GST is aimed to cut through the red tape and corruption generated by the swathe of state taxes currently in force. The measure has been touted as the biggest reform undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to transform India into a business friendly destination.

However, basic needs of disabled people will burn holes in their pockets if the schedule of taxing the equipment used by them becomes a reality. Under GST, commodities such as Braille paper are expected to be taxed at 12 per cent and priced at Rs 80 for a kilogram.

The present price of the paper used in textbooks for the visually impaired is Rs 72 per kg and it is exempt from excise duty. Braille typewriters, electric and non-electric, are also likely to come with a GST of 18 per cent.

At present, being sold for approximately Rs 34,000, they will have an additional price tag of Rs 6,120. The council's rate schedule covers items like carriages for disabled people- motorised and manual-cars for the physically handicapped, crutches, wheelchairs, walking frames, tricycles, artificial limbs, rehabilitation aids, hearing aids, Braille watches, etc.

The tax to be charged on these articles ranges between five per cent and 18 per cent.

Confirming the council's move to levy GST on "assistive devices for disabled", Dolly Chakraborty, joint secretary in the department of empowerment of persons with disabilities, said, "We'll have to check the rate and assess the impact of imposing GST on this. The matter is still under discussion."

Observers say India has at least 50-80 million differently-abled people who have to frequently fight discrimination and stigma while underdeveloped infrastructure in many parts of the country makes it difficult for them to get around.

Suggesting that the move of charging GST from the disabled community is completely opposite to the ideal move, Dr Anil K Aneja, vice-president of the All India Confederation of the Blind (AICB), said, "While on one hand, the government has stressed on multiplying the production of goods for the visually impaired to make education accessible, it has now contradicted its stand by imposing a five per cent tax on Braille textbooks. Such a move is likely to make books expensive and will further make education inaccessible."

The rates decided have been broadly approved by the council and are expected to be subject to further evaluation during which they can undergo some changes.

"People with disability mostly have difficulty in acquiring resources," said an activist, requesting anonymity.

"They either get them at subsidised prices from government institutions or from NGOs. These goods of fundamental importance are not easily available in the market and instead of coming at a lesser cost, they will now be included under the ambit of GST."

Anjalee Agarwal, who suffers from muscular dystrophy and is the founder and executive director of the NGO Samarthyam for the disabled, highlighted that the move to charge GST on assistive devices will "break the back of those already burdened with expenditure to live a normal life".

"Crutches and wheelchairs are not luxury items for us. These items help us in survival, for which we are spending Rs 600 - 700 every day. Disability comes at a price and imposing GST will simply worsen our situation," she said.

The GST council is yet to decide rates for goods such as textiles, footwear, precious metals, etc.

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