The GST council in a monsoon bonanza, has cut tax rates on several items. While items such as digital cameras, video recorders, automobiles, tobacco, cigarette and aerated drinks remain in the highest tax bracket, the council has pruned 191 goods from the 28 per cent slab.
- Sanitary napkins to get cheaper as they have now been put under exempted category. They were earlier taxed at 12 per cent. Marble, stone and wood deities as well as Rakhis and fortified milk also exempted.
2. There is a 10 per cent rate cut for the white goods including video games, shavers and hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, refrigerators, TV, water coolers and electric iron.
3. Rates on paints, wall putty and varnish down to 18 per cent and so are rates on all leather items.
4. Handbags, jewellery box, wooden box for paintings, art ware of glass, stone endeavours, ornamental framed mirrors and handmade lamps are reduced to 12 per cent.
5. Hotels will now be taxed on the transaction value rather than the declared tariff, which is expected to benefit the travellers.
