After year-long protest, Sanitary Napkins exempted from GST

“Sanitary napkins will be exempted from Goods & Services Tax,” said Finance Minister Piyush Goyal while addressing a press conference in Delhi following 28th meeting of GST Council.

The demand to exclude sanitary napkin from the GST has been going on for a long time. (File photo)
Conceding a year-long demand, the GST Council on Saturday decided to exempt sanitary napkins from the ambit of the Goods and Services Tax. “Sanitary napkins will be exempted from Goods & Services Tax,” said Finance Minister Piyush Goyal while addressing a press conference in Delhi following the 28th meeting of GST Council.

The demand to exclude sanitary napkin from the GST has been going on for a long time. To drive the point home, a group of students from Gwalior launched a campaign in January this year. The students sent sanitary napkins with the message written on them to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him to exempt the taxes levied on the product and make it free of cost.

Finance Minister Piyush Goyal chaired the meeting of the Goods and Services Tax Council on Saturday, for the first time since taking charge of this portfolio. The proposed amendments to the goods and services tax (GST)-related laws, simplification of GST returns, the creation of GST appellate tribunal and the revenue position of states were among the key items slated for discussion in the 28th GST Council meeting.

Exemption from GST