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GST: CBIC has said that Ganga water is used in puja in homes across the country, and this puja material has been exempted under GST.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs has clarified that 'Gangajal' has been exempted from GST. CBIC has said that Ganga water is used in puja in homes across the country and this puja material has been exempted under GST. In the 14th and 15th meetings of the GST Council held on 18-19 May 2017 and 3 June 2017 respectively, GST on puja items was discussed in detail and it was decided to keep them in the exemption list. Therefore, all these items have been kept out of GST since the implementation of GST.

Earlier on Thursday, Congress had criticized the Modi government for allegedly imposing 18 percent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on Ganga water and termed it as the height of plunder and hypocrisy.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in a post on Twitter (now It is good that you are in Uttarakhand today, but your government has imposed 18% GST on the holy Ganga water itself." He said, "You did not even think once about what effect it would have on those people who keep Ganga water in their homes. Let's get it by ordering. This is the height of your government's plunder and hypocrisy."

After this, CBIC clarified its position on this issue and said that Ganga water has been kept out of the tax net since the implementation of GST.