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GST Council May Slash Tax on Air, Water Purifiers to 5% as Essential Items

The GST Council is considering a proposal to reduce the goods and services tax on domestic air and water purifiers from 18% to 5%. This reclassification from discretionary to essential items could lower retail prices by 10-15%, improving access for lower-income families. The move follows pressure from the Delhi High Court, which heard a PIL arguing purifiers with HEPA filters serve a preventive medical role. While the next council meeting date is unset, any rate change would require consensus among state finance ministers.

Key Points: GST Cut to 5% on Air, Water Purifiers Under Council Review

  • Potential 10-15% price drop
  • Reclassification as essential items
  • Driven by health and court pressure
  • Requires state consensus
2 min read

GST Council may consider cutting GST on air, water purifiers to 5 pc

GST Council may reduce tax on domestic air & water purifiers from 18% to 5%, reclassifying them as essential items to improve affordability amid pollution concerns.

"If clean air cannot be ensured for citizens, at the very least, the GST on air purifiers should be reduced. - Delhi High Court"

New Delhi, Dec 30

The GST Council may consider cutting goods and services tax on air and water purifiers for domestic use from 18 per cent to 5 per cent, reclassifying them as essential items rather than discretionary consumer goods.

It could lower retail prices by about 10-15 per cent, improving affordability for lower‑income families at a time when air quality across the country worsens and access to safe drinking water remains uneven, multiple reports said, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The date of the next GST Council meeting remains unknown, the reports said. The Council last met in September for its 56th session, when rates on purifiers were left unchanged, and officials said any reduction would require consensus among state finance ministers.

Pressure on the Council to cut rates intensified after the Delhi High Court earlier this week asked the government to convene a meeting, virtually, if necessary, to consider cutting or abolishing GST on air purifiers amid worsening air quality in Delhi‑NCR.

"There is a process...We are not saying whether it will be done or not," additional solicitor general N Venkataraman told the court, arguing meetings must be held physically.

The Delhi High Court observed that if clean air cannot be ensured for citizens, at the very least, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on air purifiers should be reduced.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) to declare air purifiers as falling within the category of medical devices and asked the Centre to take immediate instructions on granting a temporary GST exemption.

As per the PIL, air purifiers equipped with High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters play a preventive medical role by reducing exposure to PM2.5, PM10, and other hazardous pollutants that aggravate respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged the abolition of GST, while trade bodies sought a 5 per cent rate.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good step, but the government's priority should be cleaning the air and water at the source. We can't have every household buying purifiers while pollution goes unchecked. This feels like treating the symptom, not the disease.
A
Arjun K
Finally some sense! Calling these 'discretionary' when people are getting sick is ridiculous. The court is right. If you can't give us clean air, at least don't tax the solution so heavily. 18% was too much.
S
Sarah B
As someone who moved to Gurgaon last year, the air quality was a shock. We had to buy purifiers for every room, and the cost was significant. A tax cut will help new families settling here breathe easier, literally and financially.
V
Vikram M
The "process" and "consensus" talk worries me. This should be a straightforward decision for public health. Hope state finance ministers see the bigger picture and don't get stuck on revenue loss. Jai Hind.
K
Kavya N
Water purifiers are even more essential in rural areas and small towns. The 10-15% price drop will make a real difference. But companies should also ensure service and filter availability in tier-2/3 cities.

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