Early Times Report
New Delhi, Aug 23: The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), representing 12.40 lakh chemists and distributors nationwide, has appealed to Hon’ble Finance Minister and GST Council Chairperson, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman Ji, to bring all medicines under the 5% GST slab and place critical life-saving medicines under the 0% GST (exempted) category.
Welcoming Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji’s Independence Day announcement on GST
rationalization, AIOCD President J S Shinde and General Secretary Rajiv Singhal emphasized that chemists are the last-mile healthcare providers directly interacting with 140 crore citizens, and any increase in medicine bills directly affects patients.
AIOCD’s Key Demands:
1. Essential medicines regulated under DPCO must not face additional tax burden.
2. All medicines, vitamins, probiotics, nutritional & food supplements, and baby food must fall under 5%
GST.
3. Medicines for cancer, kidney, cardiac diseases, chronic/rare disorders, and blood derivatives should be placed under 0% GST.
4. Ayurvedic medicines must not face higher taxation after the abolition of 12% GST slab.
5. Preventive medicines and micronutrient supplements should remain affordable in line with “Prevention is better than Cure.”
6. With the 12% GST slab being abolished, all medicines currently in that slab must shift to 0% or 5%.
7. Clear guidelines must be issued to apply revised GST rates on stock purchased under the higher slab.
Shinde and Singhal reiterated that medicines are not luxury commodities but lifelines. Reducing GST will directly ease the burden on millions of patients and families, especially those without health insurance.
A copy of the memorandum and a separate letter has also been sent to Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and President of Council of Ministers, Shri Samrat Choudhary Ji, seeking his support.
AIOCD expressed confidence that the forthcoming GST Council deliberations will deliver a compassionate, historic decision—prioritizing humanity over hardship. |
