New GST rates slip down to 18 percent: List of items that may get cheaper
New Delhi : The new GST rates have started to kick the consumer goods from June 27. The commonly used items such as sanitary napkins, footwear and refrigerators will possibly get cheaper with the GST rates cut on about 88 items. Refrigerators, washing machines, small screen TVs, storage water heaters, paints and varnishes will now demand 18 percent GST. Food grinders, lithium ion batteries, vacuum cleaner and hand dryers will ask for 18 percent GST, as against 28 percent charged previously.
Business analysts said that the benefit of GST rate cut must be passed on to the end consumer now.
"The government clearly showed an intent to boost the MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) sector by reducing GST rates. But it is noteworthy that the benefit must be passed to the final consumer. In order to ensure that benefits are passed, anti-profiteering provisions have to be regularly checked and authorities must take actions," said Vishal Raheja, DGM, Taxmann.com.
List of items that will now fall in lower GST rates
GST on the following items has slipped down from 28% to 18%:
- Paints and varnishes (including enamels and lacquers)
- Glaziers' putty, grafting putty, resin cements
- Refrigerators, freezers and other refrigerating or freezing equipment including water cooler, milk coolers, refrigerating equipment for leather industry, ice cream freezer etc.
- Washing machines
- Lithium-ion batteries
- Vacuum cleaners
- Domestic electrical appliances such as food grinders and mixers & food or vegetable juice extractor, shaver, hair clippers etc.
- Storage water heaters and immersion heaters, hair dryers, hand dryers, electric smoothing irons etc.
- Televisions up to the size of 68 cm
- Special purpose motor vehicles. e.g., crane lorries, fire fighting vehicle, concrete mixer lorries, spraying lorries
- Works trucks (self-propelled, not fitted with lifting or handling equipment) of the type used in factories, warehouses, dock areas or airports for short transport of goods.
- Trailers and semi-trailers.
- Scent sprays and toilet sprays, powder-puffs and pads for the application of cosmetics or toilet preparations
