GST Council meet: Nirmala Sitharaman announces rates change for some items, exemptions. See list

The GST council meeting took place after a gap of eight months. The last meet took place on October 7, 2023.

The 53rd GST Council met under the chairpersonship of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on Saturday.

New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addresses a press conference after the 53rd GST Council Meeting, in New Delhi, Saturday, June 22, 2024. (PTI Photo/Kamal Singh)(PTI06_22_2024_000360A) (PTI)

The meeting was attended by MoS finance Pankaj Chaudhary, chief ministers of Goa and Meghalaya, deputy chief ministers of Bihar, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha, besides finance ministers of states & UTs and other senior officers.

The meeting took place after a gap of eight months. The 52nd GST Council meeting took place on October 7, 2023.

Here's what the GST council has recommended:

Changes in GST rate

• A uniform rate of 5% IGST will apply to imports of aircraft parts, components, testing equipment, tools, and toolkits, irrespective of their HS classification, to provide a fillip to MRO activities subject to specified conditions.
• All milk cans (of steel, iron and aluminium), irrespective of their use, will attract 12% GST.
• A 12% GST rate was also recommended for all types of carton boxes and cases made from both corrugated and non-corrugated paper or paperboard.
• All solar cookers, whether single or dual energy source, to attract 12% GST.
• The council has clarified that all types of sprinklers, including fire water sprinklers, to attract 12% GST.
  
  Recommendations relating to GST on services
• GST Council has proposed the exemption for specific services offered by Indian Railways to the general public, as well as for intra-railway transactions.
• The sale of platform tickets and services such as retiring rooms, waiting rooms, cloakroom facilities, and battery-operated car services are now exempt from GST.
• Accommodation services valued up to ₹20,000 per person per month, provided for a continuous period of at least 90 days, will also be exempt. This exemption will benefit hostels and similar accommodations run by various social and community organizations.
• The Council also recommended the phased rollout of biometric-based Aadhaar authentication for GST registration applicants across India.