Centre gets over 2,700 GST complaints, milk and electronics top list

Since the rollout of goods and services tax (GST) reforms, the national consumer helpline (NCH) has received over 2,700 complaints, with a large chunk related to the pricing of milk products and electronics goods.

As per the information shared by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, the helpline has received 3,981 GST-related calls as of Thursday. Of these, 69 per cent were grievances and 31 per cent queries.

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“The Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, is keeping a close watch on these dockets for their early resolution /clarification. The grievances have been escalated to the brand owners/e-commerce entities concerned for quick action. Further, CCPA has initiated a detailed review of these grievances for initiating class action, wherever necessary,” the Ministry said.

Recently, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had also announced the launch of a Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) by positioning it as a landmark reform aimed at clearing a massive backlog of tax disputes and strengthening trust between businesses and the administration.

GSTAT is not merely an institutional reform but “a powerful reminder of our determination to continue improving, reforming, and adapting GST for the future,” Sitharaman had said.

As per the Consumer Affairs ministry data, a large portion of complaints were related to milk pricing, with consumers alleging that companies had not reduced retail rates after the GST changes.

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) clarified that fresh milk was already exempt from GST and that the recent reforms have extended this exemption to UHT milk as well.

The CCPA has received a surge of complaints related to electronic goods purchased online, including laptops, refrigerators, and washing machines, as well as LPG cylinders and petrol pricing.

An analysis by the CCPA found that while GST rates had been reduced from 28 per cent to 18 per cent on items such as TVs, monitors, dishwashers, and air conditioners under recent reforms, products like laptops, refrigerators, and washing machines were already in the 18 per cent slab.

On fuel and cooking gas, the Consumer Affairs Ministry clarified that domestic LPG continues to attract 5 per cent GST with no change in rate, while petrol remains outside the GST framework.

Out of the total grievances, 1,992 complaints have been forwarded to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and 761 to convergence companies for resolution. The authority said it is closely monitoring the cases and warned of strict action against firms found guilty of overcharging or failing to pass on tax benefits.

The ministry said it has also held consultations with industry associations, including the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Retailers Association of India (RAI), and the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), as well as voluntary consumer groups and state legal metrology departments, to ensure compliance.

“Wherever companies are found to have deliberately misled consumers by charging higher GST or withholding the benefit of tax reductions, strict action will be taken under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, and other applicable laws,” the ministry stated.