Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, stated that the 55th meeting of the GST Council, which was held in Rajasthan on Saturday, did not address the topic of raising the GST on Kashmiri shawls.
Following the meeting, Omar informed reporters that the attendees had come prepared to ensure that the GST on shawls, especially pashmina shawls, would not be hiked, as there had been a lot of speculation about that happening. “Fortunately, it wasn’t pursued, and we will make sure that something similar isn’t taken into consideration in the future as well, as it would pose a serious threat to our pashmina shawl industry,” he said.
Additionally, Omar commented on X, “There was no proposal or discussion to increase GST on Pashmina shawls to 28%, despite media speculation and some misinformed commentary. The defence was not required, even though we had travelled to Jaisalmer ready to protect the rights of our shawl weavers and handicraftspeople.”
Concerns have been voiced by Kashmiri political groups regarding suggestions that Kashmiri shawls may be subject to an increase in GST.
Mehbooba Mufti, the former chief minister and leader of the People’s Democratic Party, expressed concerns on Saturday regarding the proposed GST increase on Kashmiri shawls. The administration of Jammu and Kashmir promised on Friday to protect the renowned handicraft and handloom industry’s interests.
