Weavers’ body demands exemption of handloom, handicraft products from GST

Bhubaneswar: Hundreds of weavers and artisans under the banner of Odisha Shilpi Mahasangha staged a mass demonstration at Lower PMG here demanding exemption of handloom, handicraft products and raw materials
from the purview of Goods and Services Tax (GST).
“The GST should not be applicable to products made by weavers and artisans as their livelihood depends on selling these items. The weavers are mostly from the vulnerable sections of the society, the GTS will hit people dependent on these sectors. Therefore, we demand tax exemption for handloom, handicraft and raw materials”, a protestor
said.
At the meeting of the GST Council held in New Delhi in June, the Odisha government had made a similar demand. Handloom products like Sambalpuri, Bonkei, Maniabandha and Tussar sarees manufactured by weavers and handicraft goods like applique, stone and wood works, terracota products, patta paintings and tribal crafts were earlier exempted from tax.
The state finance minister had also proposed that the GST on Kendu leaves be kept at five percent to support the livelihood of millions of kendu leaf pluckers in tribal areas.