Gangajal Does Not Call For GST, Says CBIC (Image: Unsplash)
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), has given clarification on reports which have appeared on media regarding the applicability of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on Gangajal. The tweet cleared doubts on whether there was any GST levied on Gangajal which is commonly used for puja, saying that there would be no GST on Gangajal as it was a puja samagri. Puja samagri or item used for prayer are exempted from GST.
The Central Board further said that, since its inception in the year 2017, there has been no imposition of GST on puja items. The 14th and 15th council meetings of GST which were held in May and June 2017 had discussed this topic of puja samagri/items used for prayer in a detailed manner, concluding that these products would stay in the exempt list in GST.
The social media handle of CBIC said in clarification, “Gangajal is used in pooja by households across the country and puja samagri is exempt under GST. GST on puja samagri was discussed in detail in the 14th and 15th meetings of the GST Council held on 18/19 May 2017 and 3rd Jun 2017 respectively and decided to keep them in the exempt list. Therefore, all these items have been exempt since the introduction of GST.”
