Kerala floods: Centre exempts relief goods from IGST, customs duty till Dec

The tax exemptions will be valid till December 31, 2018

Kerala floods, Kerala rains, Kerala news, Kerala relief work, Kerala flood relief, Kerala flood toll, Kerala weather, kerala flood relief operations, kerala goods supply, Kerala disaster, kerala relief goods gst, Pinarayi Vijayan, kerala relief goods
Rescuers evacuate people from a flooded area to a safer place in Aluva in the southern state of Kerala | Photo: Reuters
Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Aug 20 2018 | 10:28 PM IST

The finance ministry has decided to exempt goods imported or supplied for flood relief operations in Kerala from basic customs duty/Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) till December 31, 2018, sources said.

A notification to this effect is likely to be issued tomorrow.

The notification will be later placed in the next meeting of the GST Council.

Sources said the finance ministry has proposed to issue a "general exemption" notification under a section of Customs Act to exempt goods from Basic Customs Duty and IGST, which are "imported/supplied for donation for the relief and rehabilitation of the people of Kerala affected by the floods".

The tax exemptions will be valid till December 31, 2018.

Kerala has been hit hard by devastating rains and floods leading to loss of lives and damage to property.

Earlier, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had written to the Union Finance Minister requesting for a general exemption of Customs duty and IGST for consignments being despatched or imported from abroad for relief works in the state.

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First Published: Aug 20 2018 | 10:18 PM IST

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