Capt: Roll back GST on food for EWS

Chandigarh: Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has written to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, seeking withdrawal of 5 per cent GST on food items in containers intended for free distribution among the economically weaker sections (EWS). A spokesperson said the tax was a retrograde step at a time when farmers were reeling under debt and resorting to suicide. Such a tax meant that they were being taxed by the Centre for running welfare schemes as the state would be required to pay CGST on such items, the CM wrote. TNS