After implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the ‘charkha’, the strongest symbol of India’s freedom struggle, has been exempted from tax, but spare parts have become taxable—thus increasing costs for those who still engage in the traditional spinning of yarn by hand.
“In most cases, charkhas require the kind of repairs which involve changing of parts. In addition to the cost of the spare part, applicable GST has to be paid by the customers. This wasn’t the case under the Value Added Tax (VAT) regime,” said Chandrakant Patel, of Udyog Bharatiin Gondal , a manufacturer and supplier of charkhas. Explaining further, Kalyansinh Rathod, managing director, Gujarat Khadi Gramodyog Mandal, Gandhi Ashram, said, “There are various types of charkhas made of either metal sheets and parts or wood, both of which attract GST. That apart, smaller spare parts such as spindle, gears, top arm and roll body, among others, also attract either 12% or 18% GST. This has led to an increase in the cost of a charkha.”