Spare handloom sector from GST: Minister

Says it can’t be equated with other industries

Being a cottage industry, the handloom sector should be exempted from the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, Textiles Minister O.S. Manian said on Wednesday.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, Mr. Manian said: “It should not be considered in line with other industries. People employed in the sector can work
even from their homes.

“Not only men, but also women and children are involved in it. Even VAT was not there earlier,” Mr. Manian said.

He recalled the meeting between Finance Minister D. Jayakumar and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday and said the State government had requested that the handloom sector be exempted from the GST regime.

“Our request is only just and acceptable. We can expect a solution to this soon,” he added.

Rubber producers’ plea

Representatives of the Rubber Producers’ Association called on Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami in the Secretariat on Wednesday and sought exemption for rubber from GST.

An official release said Tamil Nadu’s special representative in Delhi N. Thalavai Sundaram was present during the meeting.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/spare-handloom-sector-from-gst-minister/article19411645.ece