DCW urges Centre to make sanitary napkins tax-free under GST

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 20

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has urged Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to make sanitary napkins tax-free under the GST regime.

While congratulating the Finance Minister on the successful passage of GST legislation in Parliament, DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal sought his intervention as sanitary napkins have been taxed at 12 per cent as per the GST schedule for goods released yesterday.

In her letter to Jaitley, Maliwal also mentioned that Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi and Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) Sushmita Dev and several other leaders have advocated for making sanitary napkins tax-free.

Noting that since menstruation is a natural phenomenon, hygiene and proper health during this period is a fundamental right of every female, Maliwal said, “Taxation of sanitary napkins which is a basic necessity, denies its access to many. It makes sanitary napkins unaffordable for millions of poor women who end up using dangerous materials such as dirty cloth, straw and sand instead.”