GST Council likely to consider 'zero tax' on millet mix in meeting

Council may maintain status quo on reducing tax rates on EV batteries to 5% from 18%

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, scheduled to meet on Saturday, will take up changes to tax rates on some items, including millet-based product mixes.

The council is likely to consider “zero tax” if the millet product, comprising at least 70 per cent of millet, is sold loose and 12 per cent if it is sold packaged/labelled.

The council’s fitment committee, comprising revenue officials of central and state governments, has recommended a rate revision on these lines, a source privy to the meeting agenda told 'Business Standard'.

The council may maintain “status quo” on reducing tax rates on electric vehicle (EV) batteries to 5 per cent from the current 18 per cent. “EV vehicles generally use lithium-ion batteries which have multiple uses including mobile phone, electronics etc, so the industry proposal of reducing the rates could not be considered,” said the source, citing possible reasons for the move.