Government grants 50 pc GST relief to central police canteens

NEW DELHI — The Union government has sanctioned a 50 per cent GST aid for CAPF personnel while purchasing goods from the countrywide network of central police canteens, an ex-paramilitary forces personnel welfare association said on Monday.

The association welcomed the decision notified by the Union home ministry for the ‘Kendriya Police Kalyan Bhandar’ (KPKB) or the central police welfare store that runs the chain of these more than 1,700 canteens located in various states of the country.

The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) under the ministry of home affairs (MHA) comprise the CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and the SSB. The services of these canteens can also be availed by personnel belonging to some other central police organisations like the BPRD and NCRB among others.

The personnel of these forces are tasked to render a variety of security duties in the country and abroad.

Ranbir Singh, general secretary of confederation of ex-paramilitary forces martyrs welfare association, issued a statement to welcome the “historic decision” and called it a “Holi bonanza for the 20 lakh strong serving and retired paramilitary personnel and their families”.

He said the aid of 50 per cent on Goods and Service Tax (GST) on items purchased from the canteens will be implemented from the start of the next financial year on April 1.

The funds for this relief will be met from the budget allocation made for these forces, Singh said.

The central police canteens do an estimated business of more than INR 2,800 crore annually by selling a variety of household products, groceries, clothes and vehicles apart from other items to 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh personnel of these forces, apart from retired personnel and their families.