52nd GST Council Meet: These big decisions have been taken, sugarcane farmers are expected to get benefits

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that if 70 percent coarse grain flour is sold loose, there will be zero percent GST on it. Packing and selling it will attract five percent GST. The GST Council has decided to reduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on molasses from 28 percent to five percent. The 52nd meeting of the GST Council was held in Delhi today. The Finance Minister said after the meeting that the GST Council has today handed over the power to levy tax on ENA to the states. If states want to tax it, they are welcome to do so. If states want to leave it, they are welcome to decide on it. The GST Council is not taking the decision to impose tax on it, although the right to impose tax lies here. So in the interest of the states, if I can use the word, we have handed over that power to the states.

Nirmala Sitharaman said that one of the most important, which I would like to say with great pleasure is that the GST Council wanted to participate in the Year of Millets and hence the role of GST in the promotion of millets is seen in that. Edible preparation of millet flour in powder form containing not less than 70% millet by weight. I would like to emphasize that they fall under HS 1901 category. So millet in powder form being mixed with any other flour, where the composition of millet is 70%, we say that if they are sold in any form other than pre-packaged and labeled form If so then 0% GST will be levied on them. So 0% if they are sold loose, and only 5% if pre-packed.

He informed that GST has been reduced from 28% to 5%. We hope that this will benefit the sugarcane farmers and their dues will be cleared faster as more money will be left in the hands of the mills or anyone else. The Council and all of us feel that this will also reduce the cost of manufacturing animal feed, which will be a great development. When Delhi Finance Minister Atishi raised the issue of tax notices to online gaming companies in the 52nd GST meeting, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that it was the Delhi Minister who was on gaming. On the casino, it was the Goa minister. The Finance Minister said that the Delhi Minister was more concerned that imposing tax on them would destroy an emerging industry, which our youth need. And then the issue of notices sent to these companies is also being raised. We heard him. The Delhi Minister also highlighted that this decision has been under discussion for 2.5-3 years and whether the decision taken in the Council is going to impact a young and youthful industry which has a lot of potential. So this was the line taken by the Delhi minister.