GST rate: Delhi’s furniture makers shut shops for 3 days in protest
1 min read . Updated: 26 Jun 2017, 09:18 PM IST
PremiumManufacturers in Delhi are protesting against 28% GST rate on furniture , saying they are not a luxury but a necessity for hospitals, offices, schools and homes
New Delhi: Protesting against the move to levy 28% tax on furniture under the upcoming goods and services tax (GST) regime, manufacturers in the national capital on Monday began a three-day shutdown of shops.
The Delhi Furniture Federation (DFF), which is organising the protest, said it was grossly unfair of the government to tax furniture that are used by common man in hospitals, offices, schools and homes at 28% while a luxury item like diamond is levied just 3% tax.
“We have made representations to the government for a revision but they denied any relief saying you used to evade taxes earlier and will continue doing so even after the GST," DFF president Ratinder Pal Singh Bhatia told reporters here.
At present, tax incidence on furniture goods is at around 12%. He further said the problem of domestic furniture manufacturers have been compounded by the government’s decision to lower import duty and making imports cheaper.
Moreover, Bhatia said: “Earlier, their was an exemption of excise duty for those manufacturers whose total products were valued only up to Rs1.5 crore but now they have to pay the highest tax rate." He also questioned the rationale behind the government’s move to tax a luxury item like diamond at 3% while imposing 28% on furniture.
“Furniture are not a luxury item but a necessity for hospitals, offices, schools and homes," he said. Demanding that the GST on furniture be reduced to 12%, all furniture shops in the national capital will be shut till 28 June. He said 85% of workmen in furniture manufacturing belong to low-income group and they would be affected majorly if furniture demands were to drop due to high prices after GST implementation.
The federation will once again make representation to the government on 28 June, Bhatia said.
