NEW DELHI: Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Sunday said the government will request the Centre to reduce GST on raw materials for production of alternatives to single-use plastic items. The minister, who chaired a roundtable with stakeholders to discuss SUP alternatives, said there is a lot of confusion among public and even some government agencies regarding the items covered under the ban.
“We will conduct a training session for our enforcement teams so that there is no confusion while implementing the ban,” he said. The government will also issue a helpline number to register complaints if action is taken for using products that are not banned, the minister said.
After some stakeholders drew the minister’s attention towards high GST rates on raw material for green alternatives, Rai said the government will write to the Centre on the issue. The government will request Centre to reduce GST rates on raw material to manufacture alternatives to single-use plastics, the minister added. Rai also said people think a ban on SUP items mean a ban on plastic carry bags and that is why there is an urgent need to create awareness among public.