The State Assembly witnessed uproar after the Congress targeted the State government over the Centre levying GST on puffed rice (mudhi) and flattened rice (chuda).
As soon as the House assembled, Congress members created a ruckus in the House on the issue with its MLA Suresh Routray urging the government not to impose GST on puffed rice and flattened rice although the Centre has already decided to impose goods and service tax on mudhi and chuda.
Routray said, “The state government should bear the brunt of tax if it levies GST on puffed rice and flattened rice.”
Replying to the query raised by Routray during zero hour, Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari said, “The State government cannot do anything on GST. Besides, GST would be imposed on packets being used by companies not on food items. So, there will be no impact on small traders and customers even if GST is imposed on the said food items."
Following the uproar, Speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha adjourned the proceedings till 4 pm.
With the GST hike of 5 per cent on packaged food products from today, other popular Odia foods like fried paddy also known as Lia (khai), will cost more.
Ananta Pothal, a consumer, said, “We won’t be able to eat mudhi any more after the Union government has imposed GST on it. We are poor people. It is just not possible on our part to buy mudhi.”
Rabi Narayan Pati, another consumer, said, “Mudhi is one of our staple foods which we eat in morning and evening. Mudhi is a poor man’s everyday food. So, I would like to request the government to withdraw the tax.”
BJP leader Jaya Narayan Mishra said, “There will be no impact on poor people who are making mudhi or buying from small shopkeepers. Those who purchase mudhi from malls will have to pay GST on mudhi. And those who opt for buying mudhi from mall they are rich people.”
Odisha Milk Farmers’ Association president Rabi Behera said, “When corona broke out, milk farmers had incurred severe loss. But the state government has failed to provide them compensation. When we are trying to set up their business once again, the Centre has imposed GST on mudhi which is ungraceful for people like us.”