Issue to be raised in June 3 meeting; GST to come into effect from July 1

The Delhi government will oppose the imposition of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on sanitary napkins, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told The Hindu on Monday. The GST will come into effect from July 1.

Mr. Sisodia, who is also Delhi’s Finance Minister, said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government would raise the topic in the next GST Council meeting on June 3. He said the topic had not come up for discussion in the last meeting of the council that happened in Srinagar on May 18 and 19.

‘Tax burden must not rise’

Not only is the Delhi government opposing GST on sanitary napkins, Mr. Sisodia said the government was against any increase in prices of everyday goods.

“Wherever there has been talk of things becoming more expensive, we have opposed it. The tax burden on the public should not increase,” he said.

Under the new GST regime being finalised by the Centre, most products would have either 12% or 18% tax. In the Delhi government’s Budget for 2017-2018, Mr. Sisodia had cut Value Added Tax (VAT) on sanitary napkins that cost over Rs. 20 from 12.5% to 5%. The move was announced on International Women’s Day on March 8.

Maliwal wrote to Jaitley

Last week, Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal had written to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asking him to exempt sanitary napkins from GST.

Across the country too, there have been voices demanding that tax on sanitary pads be removed.

Online petition

Lok Sabha MP Sushmita Dev had started a petition to this effect on Change.org on March 8. Signed by over 3 lakh people, it says sanitary napkins are still out of reach for most Indian women, and that making products more affordable would not only help improve hygiene but also increase girls’ attendance in schools.