Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has written to Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant demanding withdrawal of additional covid cess on GST for pharmaceutical sector.
“We understand that during the 43rd GST Council Meeting via video conferencing chaired byFinance Minister Smt.Nirmala Sitharaman, held at New Delhi, one of proposal shared by Government of Sikkim for nominal cess on Pharmaceutical Industry. It was also learnt that Goa Government was contemplating on levying similar cess on GST for Pharmaceutical sector,” said GCCI in a letter
GCCI further said that during the pandemic for last 2 years ,Pharmaceutical was probably the only industry which almost operated at 90% plus utilisation braved the adverse environment chugging both lives and livelihood in spite of supply chain logistics issues not stopping at this the Pharmaceutical sector did not hesitate to walk the extra mile by extending whole hearted support in CSR and supporting Government on various counts.
“The recent 44th Council Meeting has in fact reduced the prices of medicines albeit related to covid-19, On the consumer side additional cess will add to the cost of medication of the public at large who are already reeling under the immense pressure during this pandemic there by increasing the common man’s burden,” it added
Meanwhile, GCCI said that such uch levies actually contradict the vision of our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s towards improving the “ease of living” of the citizens of the country and “ease of doing business”.
