GST Council Slashes Tax on Helicopter Services for Religious Travels

Uttarakhand Finance Minister Prem Chand Agarwal announced that the GST Council has reduced the tax on helicopter services for religious purposes to 5%. The Council is also discussing taxes on life and health insurance premiums and GST on payment aggregators for transactions up to Rs 2,000.

In a significant decision, Uttarakhand Finance Minister Prem Chand Agarwal announced that the GST Council has cut the tax on helicopter services for religious travels to 5%. The 54th meeting of the GST Council, presided over by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, is ongoing.

"Helicopter services for religious purposes like Kedarnath and Badrinath now attract a reduced 5% GST, down from 18%. This move provides much-needed clarity," Agarwal stated to reporters.

The Council is also set to address other crucial issues, including the reduction of taxes on life and health insurance premiums and the imposition of GST on payment aggregators for transactions up to Rs 2,000 using debit and credit cards.

(With inputs from agencies.)