Kendu leaf pluckers not affected by GST: Odisha Deputy CM on BJD’s demand for GST waiver

Kendu leaf pluckers aren’t facing any problems due to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). It rather affects those who are adding value to them by making different items from them like bidi, said Odisha Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo on Tuesday while responding to BJD’s demand for removal of GST on Kendu leaves. 

On Monday, BJD reiterated its demand for waiver of GST on Kendu leaf. 

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“Kendu leaf pluckers are never affected due to GST as they don’t need to pay GST. It affects those who prepare different items from it like bidi. Kendu leaf-based business is not only in Odisha but also in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Whenever they are going to the GST council, they are demanding that GST shouldn’t be removed from Kendu leaves,” said the Deputy Chief Minister. 

For whose sake the BJD is demanding the removal of GST on Kendu leaves, for the sake of pluckers or businessmen, he asked. 

Responding to the Deputy Chief Minister’s statement, BJD spokesperson Sanjit Mohanty said, “At the time of Padmapur by-election, BJP leaders repeatedly mentioned the waiving off GST on Kendu leaves. While those statements were based on facts, today’s statement is far from the facts and is against the Kendu leaf pluckers. He shouldn’t forget that there are over 53,000 pluckers in his constituency.”