Mamata Banerjee says ‘will hit the road’ if Centre does not remove GST on life and medical insurance
The West Bengal Chief Minister said that the GST would ‘adversely affect people’s ability to take care of vital needs’ in a post on X
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Currently, 18 percent GST is charged on life and medical insurance premiums. (Express Photo)West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the Central government to remove GST charges from life insurance and medical insurance, saying she will protest on “the road” if the Centre refuses to do so.
Banerjee took to X on Thursday, writing, “Our demand to the Government of India is to roll back GST from life insurance and medical insurance premium on the grounds of people’s health imperatives. This GST is bad because it adversely affects the people’s ability to take care of their basic vital needs.”
She added that she will “hit the road” if the “anti-people GST” is not repealed from insurance costs.
Four days ago, Union Minister of Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had urged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to remove the GST on life and medical insurance premiums, saying it leads to “levying taxes on the uncertainties of life”.
“(The tax) becomes cumbersome for the senior citizens,” Gadkari wrote, in a letter to Sitharaman on July 28. According to him, the tax on these premiums is also “restricting the growth of the industry”.
Currently, 18 percent GST is charged on life and medical insurance premiums.
Earlier, Mamata Banerjee sharply criticised the Union Budget, during the announcement of which Sitharaman had termed GST a “success of vast proportions” that decreased tax incidence on “common men” — with the Chief Minister saying “it is an anti-poor budget.”
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