Shiromani Akali Dal-led delegation meets PM Modi

A delegation led by Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to thank him after the government rolled back the decision to impose Goods and Services Tax (GST) on ‘langar’.

While expressing gratitude at the Government’s decision to give Rs.800 crore-worth relief to sugarcane farmers of Punjab, the delegation urged Prime Minister Modi to celebrate the 550th Prakash festival of Gurunanak Dev at a larger scale.

They also discussed an immediate release of prisoners, the opening of Kartarpur road, GST on petrol-diesel and issues like increase in crop support price.

Last month, Union Minister for Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal had written to the Prime Minister saying due to the GST on ‘langar,’ the money used for feeding more people was going in taxes.

The Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) spends around Rs 75 crore to purchase desi ghee, sugar and pulses, all used in the preparation of food served at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Citing this, the minister said the committee would have to bear a financial burden of Rs 10 crore on purchases, as they came under the 5 to 18 percent GST bracket.