GST Council meets today; rate cuts likely for handlooms, sanitary napkins

Sanitary napkins, handlooms and handicrafts are currently taxed at 12 per cent; e-books attract 18 per cent.

The Goods and Services Tax Council is likely to reduce the rates on a handful of products at its meeting on Saturday. That on sanitary napkins is likely to be cut from the present 12 per cent to five per cent. Lower rates are also possible on handicrafts, handlooms and e-books, among others. 

“The rationalisation of rates will be taken up for smaller items that do not have major revenue implications but are commonly consumed. However, we would not be touching the items in the highest slab,” said a government official. It is unclear if the issue of levying a