AIADMK will push for lowering GST for match industry, assures Palaniswami

Kovilpatti: AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami has said his party would push for lowering of GST rate for the match industry in order to support the sector.

Addressing a poll campaign in Kovilpatti in Tuticorin district on the night of Monday, March 30, he said his party has sought a reduction in the Goods and Services Tax for the industry to 12 per cent from 18 per cent. “We will urge the centre to reduce 5 per cent GST for the match industry,” the AIADMK general secretary assured.

The matchbox and fireworks industries are concentrated mostly in the Kovilpatti and Sivakasi areas of Tamil Nadu, employing lakhs of workers.

The former chief minister said his party previously took steps to reduce GST on the fireworks and match industries. He assured to constitute a welfare board for the workers of these industries when the party forms the government post the April 23 Assembly election.

Earlier, addressing a rally in Kadayanallur, he vowed to eradicate drug trafficking in the state and create a drug-free Tamil Nadu when his party forms the government. He promised to increase relief assistance for salt-pan workers during the rainy season and announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for the palm workers in case of accidental death.

At the Kadayanallur poll rally, Palaniswami, the leader of the opposition, made a fresh promise of providing “double-boiled quality rice” at PDS shops similar to the “good quality rice sold in private shops.”

“This is for sure; quality rice will be supplied in ration shops notwithstanding the expenditure,” he said.

He slammed the ruling DMK for “sheltering” those expelled from his party and said it would gain nothing from them in the ensuing Assembly elections.

Palaniswami said the DMK had given tickets to 19 leaders expelled from the AIADMK. These include expelled leaders O Panneerselvam and R Vaithilingam.