Real estate developers in a bind over charging GST for affordable homes

In the 2017 budget, the government accorded infrastructure status for affordable projects to help such projects raise loans at lower rates

The government has announced concessional GST rates for the sale of affordable homes, but developers are in a dilemma on charging lower rates, since there is no clear definition of such projects.
 
In its last meeting in January, the GST Council reduced the effective GST rates for affordable homes that are eligible for credit-linked savings scheme (CLSS), projects that received infrastructure status and houses built under LIG, MIG-1 and MIG-2 categories under the government’s Housing for All scheme, from 12 per cent to 8 per cent.
 
“The circular does not define affordable housing. Today we can charge 8