Volunteers distribute face masks at Vashi in Mumbai (file photo)
Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday called upon the Centre to revoke the Goods and Service Tax on masks and sanitisers among others, saying in a tweet that it was "wrong" to impose an additional burden on the people at a time when they were facing the coronavirus crisis.
In a tweet, the Lok Sabha Parliamentarian from Wayanad cited the prevailing GST charges on products such as sanitisers, masks, hand wash, test kits, blood test strips and a slew of life-saving drugs. The GST charges on these materials, the demand of all of which has seen a surge since India first entered the lockdown on March 25, ranges from five per cent to 18 per cent under the present slab.
It is estimated that as authorities across the country begin phased withdrawal of the lockdown restrictions after May 3, the demand for masks and testing kits, to name a few, could further pick up. Already, local governments in many Indian states, including Delhi, Rajasthan and Maharashtra among others, have made masks mandatory in public spaces.
An analysis by Reuters in the last week of March found that India could be needing close to four crore face masks and 62 lakh units of personal protective equipment (PPEs) in the coming days.
