Published : New Indian Express
/02-Sep-2017
Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik reiterated the demand of the State Government for exemption of GST on handloom and handicraft products. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister said a large number of weaver and artisan families, exceeding 3.5 lakh, earn their livelihood from this diverse production base which is next only to agriculture. Stating that handloom and handicrafts form an important part of the State’s cultural heritage and the products are mostly used by the common people, Chief Minister said prior to the introduction of GST, the Government had always exempted these products from Value Added Tax (VAT).