The GST Council on the 6th October 2017 reduced GST rates for 27 common goods and items, which made these items cheaper. The implementation of the Goods and Services Tax had earlier invited severe criticism, which prompted the government to slash rates on some of the important common consumptions items such as namkeens, khakra, roti, zari work goods, dried mango, plastic and rubber waste, e-waste, Ayurveda medicines, man-made items, stationery and a lot more.
Here is a complete list of GST rates on goods that now stand to be reduced:
| Serial No. | Items/Goods | Earlier GST Rate | Current GST Rate |
| 1) | Food preparation in unit containers meant for free distribution to economically disadvantaged people, regulated by the State and Centre government on grounds of specific conditions. | 18% | 5% |
| 2) | Imposed GST on the net quantity of SKO (superior kerosene oil) for the manufacture of LAB (Linear Alkyl Benzene | 18% | 18% (justification to be issued) |
| 3) | Namkeens not in the unit container but: 1) Having a registered brand name or: 2) Having a brand name for which enforceable right or actionable claim, in a court of law exists, until foregone voluntarily already |
12% | 5% |
| 4) | Plain chapatti/roti and Khakra | 12% | 5% |
| 5) | Sliced and dried mango | 12% | 5% |
| 6) | Other than those with the brand names: Siddha, Unani, Ayurvedic and Homeopathy medicines | 12% | 5% |
| 7) | Modelling paste for the amusement of children | 28% | 18% |
| 8) | Poster colour | 28% | 18% |
| 9) | Rubber scrap, parings or waste | 18% | 5% |
| 10) | Plastic parings, scrap or waste | 18% | 5% |
| 11) | Hard rubber scrap or waste | 28% | 5% |
| 12) | Duty credit scrips | 5% | GST Removed |
| 13) | Paper scrap or waste | 12% | 5% |
| 14) | All yarn of synthetic filaments, like acrylic, polyester, nylon, etc. | 18% | 12% |
| 15) | Sewing thread from man-made filaments, disregarding being put or not put up for retail sale | 18% | 12% |
| 16) | Sewing thread from man-made staple fibres | 18% | 12% |
| 17) | Yarn from man-made staple fibres | 18% | 12% |
| 18) | All filaments made from artificial materials such as Cuprammonium, viscose rayon etc. | 18% | 12% |
| 19) | Real zari | 12% | 5% |
| 20) | Waste, a scrap of cullet from glass | 18% | 5% |
| 21) | All items underlined under the heading 6802, except granite and marble (12% GST for both these items) | 28% | 18% |
| 22) | Plain shaft bearing under heading 8483 | 28% | 18% |
| 23) | Fittings for letter clips, files, loose-leaf binders, letter corners, indexing tags, paper clips, and similar goods for office use, which have base metal | 28% | 18% |
| 24) | Parts fit to use principally or solely with power-driven pumps made for managing water, such as turbine pumps for deep tube-well, centrifugal pumps, mixed vertical pumps, axial flow pumps, submersible pumps etc. | 28% | 18% |
| 25) | Parts fit to use principally or solely with Diesel engines of fixed speed, not more than 15HP | 28% | 18% |
| 26) | Biomass briquettes | 18% | 5% |
| 27) | E-waste | 18%/28% | 5% |
The GST rates reduction for a few of the items mentioned above is subjected to some conditions. Keep a lookout for recent updates and news on Goods and Services Tax in India, at loanbaba’s blog section.
