Relief for sculpture and handicraft traders in Rajasthan as GST rate reduced

Jaipur: Sculpture artists and handicraft traders in Rajasthan have heaved a sigh of relief after GST council in Hyderabad recently decided to reduce tax on 30 commodities of general consumption.

Those who benefited are sculptures and handicraft traders. GST on both the items has been reduced from 28% to 12%. People with idol business of worth Rs 20 lakhs do not need to register with GST.

Businessmen in the state were demanding a reduction in GST for a long time. Representing the GST council of Rajasthan, the state industry minister Rajpal Singh Shekhawat told media persons that they presented their side of arguments in favor of reducing GST for these two industries strongly and as a result, the relief was granted.

“Thousands of people working in these two industries will be benefited from the reduction in GST rate,” said Shekhawat.

Some of these benefits are:

• Sculptors and folk artists will be exempted from GST registration till the turnover of Rs 20 lakhs.
• Jaipuri blankets: 5% tax on blankets worth up to Rs 1000. Blankets worth more than that will be levied 12% tax. Jaipuri blankets earlier had a tax of 12%.
• 5% tax on roasted chickpeas instead of 12%
• 5% tax which was levied on cotton sports has been removed.

Earlier in July, more than 8000 people including sculpture traders, artists, saints and supporters of right wing organizations including Bajrang Dal had taken out a protest rally demanding that GST on idols of deities be taken back.