Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 24: Office bearers of J&K Offset Printers’ Association (JKOPA) held a meeting to protest against ‘irrational imposition’ of flat 18 per cent GST on printing industry.
It was decided in the meeting to support Prof. Kamal Chopra, president All India Federation of Master Printers who had stated that 18 per cent GST on printed products can prove a big jolt for the already suffering printing and packaging industry.
JKOPA president Sudesh Gupta while speaking in the meeting said, printing and packaging industry is an inter-mediator industry as its supplies are not made directly to the end users but to the manufacturers or dealers who are preparing the products for the end users. Thus, any increase in GST will increase the manufacturing cost of the products.
He also said that basic raw material of the industry—paper is in the slab of 12 per cent GST, putting printing and packaging in the slab of 18 per cent virtually mean, payment of 6 per cent from pocket, after claiming the input credit, till the payment is received from the customer.
Speakers in the meeting said that printing of stationery, calendars, dairies and books is already suffering while some of the state governments have issued instructions for paperless office.
“Again due to COVID crises, printing of newspapers and news magazines has suffered a serious setback. It is evident that increase in GST from 12 to 18 in turn will increase prices of books, magazines etc. Thus, it is expected that the demand of printed products will further decrease in case this increased GST is imposed,” they maintained.
JKOPA urged the government to impose slab of 12 per cent GST on all printed products.
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