Benefits of Reduced GST Rates Must Reach the Common Public – Finance Minister Choudhary

Raipur, October 7

In a special review meeting of the ‘GST Bachat Utsav’ held in Nava Raipur, Finance and Commercial Tax Minister Shri O. P. Choudhary issued instructions to ensure that the citizens of the state receive the immediate benefits of the reduced GST rates. He stated that the benefits of the GST rate cuts should directly reach the common public, enabling real savings for every family and providing relief to traders.
During the meeting, Finance Minister Shri Choudhary conducted a detailed review of the market situation across the state and took feedback from officials. He directed that the benefits from the reduction in GST rates must reach consumers in a transparent manner. He mentioned that an historic reduction in rates has been made under “GST 2.0” led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, which aims to provide relief to citizens and ease business operations. He stressed that it is the state government’s responsibility to ensure that the benefits of this reform reach the public in a timely and honest manner.
It is noteworthy that the rates of commonly used goods have been significantly reduced—approximately 99 percent of goods have now been brought into the 5 percent GST slab. This decision is directly leading to substantial savings for consumers. For instance, savings ranging from ₹60,000 to ₹1,20,000 have become possible on agricultural machinery like tractors. Furthermore, there has been a notable reduction in the prices of clothing and daily-use items, which will significantly lower the annual expenditure of the common man.
The GST 2.0 reforms, implemented from September 22, 2025, are aimed at providing direct benefits to common Indian families. Under these reforms, significant relief has been provided in the healthcare sector. Individual life and health insurance premiums are now GST-free, saving families thousands of rupees annually. The GST rate on most medicines, medical equipment, and diagnostic kits has been reduced from 12% to 5%, while several life-saving drugs have been made completely tax-free.
These reforms have not only provided relief to common citizens in healthcare expenses but have also had a positive impact on household budgets.
Finance Minister Shri Choudhary instructed GST officials across all districts to ensure that no item is sold at old rates. If any old stock is available, the new revised rates must be marked on it, and items should only be sold at the new rates, ensuring the benefit of the GST rate cuts directly reaches the consumers. He also stated that daily reporting of the ‘GST Bachat Utsav’ will be ensured, and he will personally conduct regular state-level reviews so that the benefits of the “GST 2.0” reforms reach every citizen of the state.
The meeting was held in the presence of Finance and Commercial Tax Minister Shri O. P. Choudhary, Finance Secretary Shri Mukesh Bansal, and Commissioner, State Tax Shri Pushpendra Meena. All senior and regional officers of the department were present at the meeting.