The GST Council in its 23rd Meeting held on 10th November, 2017 at Guwahati, has recommended the reduction of the GST rate from 28% to 18% on goods falling under 178 headings, leaving now only 50 items under the GST slab rate of 28%. A large number of items have also witnessed a reduction in GST rates from 18% to 12%, 12% to 5% and so on. All these changes are effective from the midnight of 14th November, 2017. The benefit of reduction in the GST rate has to be passed on by the suppliers to the consumers by way of commensurate reduction in prices. The reduction in GST rates is also expected to encourage domestic demand and investment.

Ms. Vanaja N. Sarna, Chairperson, Central Board of Excise & Customs (CBEC) has addressed a letter to all the major Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies pointing out the need to immediately revise the MRP on all the products in which the reduction of GST has been announced by the Council. She has also requested all to give wide publicity to the revised MRP of products. The Government expects that the industry should immediately respond to the earlier appeal made by the Finance Minister on this issue.

GST rate reduction: suppliers urged to pass on tax savings to consumers through commensurate price and MRP revisions. The GST Council recommended downward revisions of rates across multiple headings effective as specified, and suppliers are expected to pass on the benefit of the GST rate reduction to consumers by commensurate price reductions. The CBEC chairperson has requested FMCG companies to immediately revise MRPs for affected products and widely publicise the revised MRPs to ensure transmission of the tax benefit.