Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday that recommendations of Group of Ministers set up to look into tax relief on Covid-19 medical supplies have been accepted by the GST Council.

The  GST rate has been slashed from earlier 12 per cent ( pc) to 5 pc now on Covid testing kits, medical-grade oxygen and ventilators. For ambulances, the GST rate has been cut from 28 pc to 12 pc and for hand sanitsers from 18 pc to 5 pc. These rates will be valid till September 30. Temperature check equipment will now attract 5 pc GST, earlier it was 18  pc. The GST rate on pulse oximeters, including personal imports, has been reduced to 5 pc from earlier 12  pc.

Rates on anti-coagulants like Heparin and Remdesivir have been reduced to 5  pc from 12  pc. Any other drug recommended by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Department of Pharma (DoP) for Covid treatment will now attract 5  pc tax.

The GST Council has decided not to impose any GST on Covid-19 related drugs - Tocilizumab and Amphotericin B. Earlier the rate was 5 pc. The GST Council also gave relief on ventilator masks/canula/helmet reducing tax to 5  pc from 12 pc, for BiPAP machine to 5  pc from 12 pc and for high flow nasal canula (HFNC) device to 5  pc from 12 pc.