Photo Gallery: 10 items of common use gets cheaper from today

Items of common use like sanitary napkins, footwear and fridge may get cheaper with the GST rate cut on about 88 items. It was decided that the new tax rates would come into effect from Friday (July 27). The GST Council, chaired by Union Finance Minister Piyush Goyal, last week pruned the highest 28 percent tax slab by moving some white goods to the 18 percent tax bracket. In the services sector, the hotel industry too has been given major relief as GST on accommodation service will now be based on transaction value instead of declared value. Here are 10 items of common use that gets cheaper from today.

Sanitary napkins, which attract 12 percent GST, have been exempted from tax. However, it was feared that the price of sanitary napkins may go up as manufacturers would not be able to avail credit of taxes paid on inputs. But finance ministry officials were of the opinion that prices should come down as input tax credit (ITC) claimed was around 2-4 percent, while the GST was 12 percent.

Union Finance Minister Piyush had also rejected the notion that prices of sanitary napkins would go up because manufacturers will not be able to claim ITC was "completely misplaced".

The minister has already asked the directorate general of anti-profiteering to keep a tab on prices of sanitary pads to ensure that benefits of rate cuts are passed on to consumers.

Footwear costing up to Rs 1,000 will now attract 5 percent GST. So far, footwear up to Rs 500 attracted 5 percent GST, and those having retail sale price of over Rs 500 attracted 18 percent rate. (Image courtesy: Pixabay)

Refrigerator will attract 18 percent GST from as against 28 percent. (Image courtesy: Pixabay)

Washing machine will attract 18 percent GST from as against 28 percent. (Image courtesy: Pixabay)

Small screen TV will attract 18 percent GST from as against 28 percent.

GST rate on ethanol will be slashed to 5 percent from 18 percent at present, the same for bamboo floorings has been cut to 12 percent from 18 percent.

Food grinders will attract 18 percent GST from as against 28 percent.

Vacuum cleaners will attract 18 percent GST from as against 28 percent. (Image courtesy: Pixabay)

Hand dryers will attract 18 percent Goods and Services Tax , down from 28 percent earlier. (Image courtesy: Pixabay)

Also, the tax rate on supply of e-books has been cut to 5 percent from 18 percent. (Image courtesy: Pixabay)