After scrapping of GST on sanitary napkins, the women politicians, cutting across party lines, have lauded the decision of the Government.
Reactions have been pouring in from many women politicians including Assam’s Silchar Lok Sabha MP Sushmita Dev, who campaigned for exemption of sanitary napkin from GST, after Finance Minister Piyush Goyal announced that sanitary pads are now 100 per cent exempt from tax.
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“In a remarkable move, Piyush Goyal during the 28th GST Council Meet announced to exempt Sanitary Napkins from the GST. Indeed, this will give the required thrust to our Menstrual Hygiene initiatives and will transform lives of many Women,” Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi tweeted.
It may be mentioned that sanitary pads, which were initially taxed at 18 per cent, were brought down to 12 per cent under GST that was launched in July 2017. Gandhi, however, earlier had justified the imposed tax saying that scrapping it would kill the indigenous pad makers, stated a report published by NDTV on July 22, 2018.
Congress MP Sushmita Dev, who last year had launched an online petition with Change.org demanding total removal of taxes on pads, welcomed the government’s move saying that it is a victory of more than four lakh citizens who had signed it.
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Dev tweeted, “I hear that sanitary napkins have been exempted from GST. I want to thank all the people who signed my petition #taxfreewings. Clearly the government had put forth frivolous arguments for one year & delayed it.”
“Some journeys take longer than others. And so here we are bearing the victory torch a year after our campaign ‘tax free wings. This is monumental in the step towards improving the accessibility, availability and affordability of the product to millions of women,” Dev said.
Union Textile minister Smriti Irani too tweeted thanking the Finance Minister for exempting sanitary napkins from GST.
“A welcome step towards encouraging menstrual hygiene among young girls and women. Good and Simple GST,” wrote Irani.