Hyderabad: Telangana finance and deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka asked Union finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman to bring down Goods and Services Tax (GST) percentages of health insurance premiums of all age groups from 18 to 5, at the 54th GST Council held at New Delhi, on Monday, September 9.
The proposal made by the Telangana deputy chief minister aims to make health insurance affordable to all. He stressed the need of access to quality health care of people’s choice among the middle and lower middle class groups, owing to high medical expenses in recent years.
He also proposed removal of GST from the insurance premiums for senior citizens, saying it is the responsibility of a people’s government, to make health insurance affordable to all. The Telangana finance minister also proposed exemption of GST on research grants or donations received from government or private agencies.
Bhatti Vikramarka to be part of Group of Ministers (GoM)
Deputy chief minister to be a member of Group of Ministers (GoM), a council of ministers from various states, formed to submit collective petitions to Union Ministry, regarding a host of financial policy suggestions, including providing clarity on taxability on group policies, family policies, etc., exemption or reduction of GST on life insurance premiums, etc.
In the meeting, the Telangana deputy chief minister proposed forming another GoM to examine issue faces by various states about ‘Compensation Central Excise and Service Tax (CESS)’, a supplementary tax levied on certain goods in India in addition to the GST.
The deputy chief minister was accompanied by Telangana’s principal secretary, revenue department (CT & Excise) SAM Rizvi at the GST Council meeting, chaired by union finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman.
