Will GST ring the death knell for the 'Makers' of India?

Advocacy groups say the GST on all handloom and handicraft below a certain price must be removed

Before Independence, when the British promoted the sale of their mill-made textiles, Indians rallied around the humble handloom weaver through the swadeshi movement.
 
Almost three months after the introduction of the goods and services tax (GST) regime in India, advocates of the country’s vibrant crafts sector believe that another national movement is required to save our craftsmen from oblivion.
 
“GST regulations don’t differentiate between handmade and machine-made products,” says Ritu Sethi of the Delhi-based craft advocacy non-profit organisation Craft Revival Trust. “By levying the same tax slabs on both categories, some punitively high, the government is making the