HYDERABAD: FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and industry) Ladies Organisation (FLO), today hailed the exemption of sanitary napkins and Rakhi's from Goods and Services Tax (GST).
FLO also welcomed the reduction of GST on household items including refrigerators, storage water heaters, washing machines and television sets by the GST Council.
FLO termed it a concentrated effort by the government to achieve the goal of women empowerment as well as special emphasis on gender development, according to a release issued here.
"Exemption of GST on sanitary napkins is welcome as it is a great step towards empowering women as sanitary napkins are necessary for female hygiene."
"This is a big step towards encouraging menstrual hygiene among young girls and women as scrapping of GST from sanitary napkins will make napkins more affordable and more women will be able to use them. Exempting Rakhi's from GST is a great move just before coming Rakhi festival," President of FLO, Pinky Reddy said.
FLO, a division of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), is the all India body for the women.
“@GST_Council’s decisions will facilitate the ease of doing business,” FICCI President @rasheshshah on the council’s announcement yesterday. pic.twitter.com/qhim56MKuq
While the goods and services tax on sanitary pads was cut from 12 per cent to zero, rakhis were also exempted from the tax by the GST Council yesterday. GST on 17 items used by the middle-class viz refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, storage water heaters, TVs up to 68 cm was reduced