Slash in GST on Medical Supplies Needed for COVID-19 Treatment will Make MP Self-Reliant in Oxygen Manufacturing : Minister Devda

BHOPAL / The Madhya Pradesh government has supported the decision of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs to cut or exempt GST ( Goods and Services Tax ) on key medical supplies, including oxygen concentrators, ventilators, oxygen-generating plant-related equipment and drugs such as Remdesivir, Amphotericin B  and Fabiflu, needed in COVID-19 treatment.

Attending the 44th meeting of the GST council for the first time on Saturday, Madhya Pradesh minister for Finance and Commercial tax Jagdish Devda said that reducing the rates of GST on equipment needed for oxygen production would help the state to become self-sufficient in this sector.

The minister has heartily thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, for providing a free vaccine to the state.

Devda informed that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had written to the Union Finance Minister urging her to exempt medical oxygen and its production plants and portable concentrators from the GST or reduce them to the minimum level.

He also said that the state government wanted that the rates of GST on equipment, injections and medicines needed for the treatment of COVID-19 should be reduced. Devda further said that all the states including Madhya Pradesh will benefit from the implementation of the recommendations of the Group of Ministers.

Devda added that in the meeting that CM Chouhan had underlined its economic aspect while recommending to the effect that local manufacturers of other states including Madhya Pradesh would be encouraged to produce oxygen by reducing GST. This will also help in preventing the pandemic.

Apart from Devda, Principal Secretary Finance Manoj Govil, Commissioner GST (state) Raghavendra Singh were present in the GST Council meeting.