NEW DELHI, JULY 24 (UNI) Criticising the increase in GST on scientific equipment, former finance minister P. Chidambaram on Sunday said the government believes that all the sci- entific knowledge that we need can be gathered by gazing at the sky and reimagining our past.
“GST on scientific equipment needed by research institutions and universities raised from 5% to 12-18%. This unkind act is after reducing the budget and allocation of the Ministry of Science by 3.9% from last year,” he tweeted.
The Opposition has hit out at the government for a hike in GST rates on household items. Tax rates have been increased from 12 percent to 18 percent on products such as printing, writing or drawing ink, knives with cutting blades, spoons, forks, paper knives, pencil sharpeners, and LED lamps.
Five percent GST will also be charged on hospital rooms above Rs 5,000 per day, although ICU beds have been exempted. Reacting to the development, Congress said that these rate revisions are unwelcome at a time when inflation is putting pressure on the pockets of the common man.
