IGST waiver on imports of Covid-relief materials

Citing distinctive circumstances because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Finance Ministry on Monday granted ad-hoc exemption for levy of Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) on the import of Covid-related aid materials donated or obtained freed from value from outdoors India without cost distribution. The exemption will likely be relevant until June 30.
The authorities had obtained a variety of representations from charitable organisations, company entities, and different associations/entities outdoors India looking for exemption from IGST on the import of Covid-19 aid materials, donated/obtained freed from value from outdoors India without cost distribution, the Finance Ministry said.
“Quick follow-up action in briefing chief secretaries of states on today’s order of IGST exemption on specified COVID-19 relief materials (customs duty waiver given earlier). Will speed up clearance for charitable organisations and others,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted.
The Centre has already waived off customs responsibility on import of many Covid-related aid supplies, together with Remdesivir injection and its APIs, medical grade oxygen, oxygen remedy associated tools like oxygen concentrators and so on, and Covid vaccines.

Last week, it had slashed IGST fee on import of oxygen concentrators for private use to 12 per cent, from 28 per cent, for 2 months until June 30. “Accordingly, the central Government has … granted exemption from IGST on import of such goods received free of cost for free distribution for Covid relief,” it mentioned.