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Differently abled community up in arms
Differently abled community are feeling the pinch as tax burden on the articles used in their daily lives under Goods and Service Taxes (GST) regime became heavy.
Persons with disabilities demand rollback of 5 per cent tax on assistive devices
Hyderabad: Differently abled community are feeling the pinch as tax burden on the articles used in their daily lives under Goods and Service Taxes (GST) regime became heavy.
The GST Council fixed 5 per cent tax on Braille typewriters, Braille paper, all carriages for the disabled, wheelchairs and assistive devices, including hearing aids. Following representations, the GST Council revised the rates on some of the goods, such as Braille Typewriters, Braille Paper, Braille Watches, etc. from 18 percent to 5 per cent.
In fact, there is no tax on items like kajal and the GST on rough precious and semi-precious stones is fixed at 0.25 per cent, but some disability goods are attracting tax at 5 per cent.
The decision of the GST Council decision has gone against the provisions of the newly-passed Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, regretted M. Srinivasulu, President, Network of Persons with Disability Organizations (NPdO). “It is already extremely difficult for an average disabled person with increasing cost of living.
Now with the GST, things of daily use, which are already beyond their reach, will become even more expensive,” said Srinivasulu and added, “We demand complete rollback to zero per cent tax.”
Reacting on this issue, B Shailaja, Director, Department of Welfare of the Disabled and Senior Citizens, said the 5 per cent GST on assistive devices would put a burden of about Rs 10 lakh on the people as the government earmarked Rs 2 crore to procure the assistive devices in this financial year.
Laximanarayana, a 35-year-old, wants to buy wheeler chair. Before GST a basic model wheelchair used to cost Rs 3,800 and after GST the cost has gone up to Rs 4,200.
He came out form the shop without buying wheelchair as he could not afford it. There are around 10 lakh differently abled in Telangana State as per 2011 census. Earlier, there was no tax on assistive devices.
Speaking to The Hans India Dr K Vasudeva Reddy, Chairman, Telangana Vikalangula Corporation, said, “We will support the demand for rollback of 5 per cent GST to zero and a proposal has been sent to the government.”
By V Naveen Kumar
