SFS opposes GST on canteen bills

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 19

Students for Society (SFS) today submitted a memorandum against the imposition of the GST on mess and canteen bills and regarding the payment of pending salaries to workers coming under ambit of the hostel funds.

As per the Ministry of Finance, the canteen and mess bills will attract five per cent GST irrespective of whether it is provided by an educational institution or an outsider contractor.

Whereas earlier on July 12, 2017, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley clarified that services provided by an educational institution to its students, faculty and staff were fully exempted from the GST.

SFS spokesperson Harmandeep said: “This step by the Central Government will impact a large number of students who have been worst hit by inflation, fee hike, unemployment, seat cuts and irregularity in disbursement of fellowships and even scrapping of fellowships. It has affected a large number of students who are forced to discontinue their studies. Now, the GST will aggravate the situation further.”

“Even, Panjab University since long is going through its worst-ever situation when the Central Government on the one hand is not allotting appropriate Budget to run the university and forcing to generate its Budget from own sources, which is affecting students, staff and faculty at large,” he said.

On the other hand, the imposition of GST will further squeeze the students. The relation between the Centre and the university has turned into an exploiter and exploited or businessman and consumer; and has turned the institution into a restaurant,” he said.