High GST rate on ayurvedic items: How can one feel 'Acche Din', asks Patanjali

May 28, 2017

New Delhi, May 28: Disappointed over high GST rate on ayurvedic products that provide "care and cure to common man at affordable price", Baba Ramdev-led Patanjali Ayurved has asked the government as to how can people feel and live 'Achchhe Din' without the right to good health.

Baba-Ramdev

In a similar vein, industry body AMAM also said that while the government is aggressively promoting ayurveda globally, high tax incidence under GST will make the natural medicines costly and out of reach of the common people back home.

GST rate for classical or generic range of ayurvedic medicines must be nil and 5 per cent for patented products instead of the proposed 12 per cent, the Association of Manufacturers of Ayurvedic Medicines (AMAM) has said.

At present the ayurvedic medicines and products have a total tax incidence of 7 per cent, including VAT, depending on the items. Under the GST regime, these items have been kept at 12 per cent.

"Higher GST on ayurvedic category has surprised us and is very disappointing and disheartening," Patanjali Ayurved Ltd and Patanjali Yogpeeth spokesman S K Tijarawala told PTI in an emailed response. He further said ayurveda, which provides care and cure to common man at affordable price and is ancient and proven therapy for ages, doesn't deserve such treatment.

"Good health and healthy living is common man's basic right and expectation. Without all these, how can one feel and live 'Achchhe Din'?" he said.

Echoing similar sentiments, AMAM General Secretary Pradeep Multani said: "The Indian government has been aggressively promoting ayurvedic products internationally but what's the point of doing these things when the tax rate is so high and the common people can't afford it at home?" He further said: "This is sad and unfortunate as the Prime Minister is doing his best to boost the AYUSH system."

The previous UPA government "treated ayurveda industry as step child" but this government has taken steps to take it forward, Multani said, however, adding the high tax rate proposed under GST "will make Ayurvedic, Sidha and Unani medicines out of reach of common man and kill the system".

He said if homeopathic products could be put under 5 per cent slab under GST, ayurvedic products should also be kept under the rate.

Tijarawala said the world is now looking forward to Indian vedic knowledge of Ayurveda. It has created new potential of over Rs 1 lakh crore market for such natural and healthy products.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently even inaugurated Patanjali Research Institute (PRI) established with outlay of over Rs 250 crore for R&D in field of Ayurved, he added.

"We have created a lead being followed by so many other companies. This has opened new avenues of self employment generation in field of herbicultutre, agriculture, ayurved practitioners, naturopathy, ayurveda product manufacturing," Tijarawala said.

Earlier, FMCG major Dabur India also expressed disappointment with the new tax structure saying it will have adverse impact on the Ayurvedic medicines category.

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May 12,2024

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Mangaluru: A native of Kerala was arrested on charge of misbehaving with crew on an Air India Express flight while travelling from Dubai to Mangaluru International Airport. The man even threatened to jump from the aircraft, according to officials. 

Siddartha Das, the security coordinator for Air India Express, lodged a complaint against the passenger, identified as Muhammad BC from Kannur, Kerala, after which he was caught by the airport security once the flight landed at Mangaluru. He was later handed over to the police.

DCP (Law and Order) Sidharth Goyal said the incident occurred on Flight IX814 on May 8.

When the flight was above the sea, Muhammad reportedly said he wanted to get off the plane, posing a threat to all on board. The unruly flyer was detained by airport security once the flight landed at Mangaluru International Airport and he was handed over to Bajpe police station officials.

Sources added once the flight took off from Dubai, the accused went to the lavatory and thereafter started inquiring with the cabin crew about a person named Krishna who was not on the flight. Muhammad kept on pressing the bell for in-flight assistance, even though the cabin crew members were near at hand. He then picked up a life jacket, gave it to a crew member, and said he wanted to use it upon landing.

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May 8,2024

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Mangaluru, May 8: The health officials in Dakshina Kannada are concerned over the increase in dengue cases in the rural areas of the district. They've seen 108 cases since January, compared to 45 last year. 

Dr. Naveen Chandra Kulal, who works on controlling diseases spread by insects, says humidity makes mosquitoes breed more.

People storing water in pots and drums during summer also make more mosquitoes, he added. 

In Lingappayyakadu village near Mulky, a survey found people store lots of water because they don't have regular drinking water. Dr. Kulal says this water becomes a place for mosquitoes to breed if containers aren't closed properly.

Dengue cases are also rising in Bengaluru, Mysuru, and other districts, he said. Even though there haven't been big groups of dengue cases in Dakshina Kannada yet, the health department is trying hard to stop it from spreading. They're doing things like teaching people how to prevent dengue and getting rid of places where mosquitoes can breed.

So far this year, Dakshina Kannada district has only had 16 cases of malaria. Dr. Kulal says many of these cases were among workers who came from other states to work on building sites.

Dr. Thimmaiah HR, who works for the health department, says if people have a fever, they should go to the nearest clinic or hospital. He also says they should get tested if they have symptoms of dengue or malaria and be careful about the hot weather.

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May 10,2024

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A day after National Commission for Women said no woman from Hassan approached the national body to file complaints against Karnataka MP Prajwal Revanna, a new FIR accusing BJP leader Devaraje Gowda of abusing and assaulting a woman has come to light.

The FIR against Gowda was filed by a woman at the Holenarasipura town police station on April 1, after her husband had filed a complaint against the BJP leader on March 30. 

The purported victim's husband has alleged in his plaint that Gowda barged into their home, and threatened the couple while the BJP leader also abused the woman.

Gowda, notably, flagged Prajwal Revanna's case to the saffron party.

Reacting to the allegations levelled against him, the BJP politico posted a video on Facebook where he details how he met the woman and her husband in his office. He also claims that the allegations against him are a plot and false.

It must be noted here that a Special Investigation Team is currently probing the sexual assault cases against Prajwal Revanna who along with his driver Karthik is no longer in the country. A Blue Corner notice is also in place to apprehend the son of H D Revanna who himself is placed under judicial custody till May 14.

In a major twist to the entire case— the woman in the FIR alleged that Devaraje Gowda who apprised BJP of the sex videos involving Prajwal Revanna— has been harassing her for the past 10 months under the guise of helping her sell a property.

The woman also said that she came in contact with Gowda during the process involving the property that she wanted to sell. However, on the pretext of guiding her, the woman alleged that the whistleblower BJP leader physically assaulted and harassed her while Gowda also threatened the couple.

The woman has now sought police protection for herself and family. Further levelling allegations against Gowda in her plaint, she said that the politico had taken her to an isolated place where he assaulted her and threatened to kill the couple.

Former chief minister of Karnataka and Prajwal Revanna's uncle H D Kumaraswamy recently demanded a CBI probe in the Prajwal Revanna matter. However, Home Minister G Parameshwara turned down the demand for the investigation to be handed over to CBI.

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