Haryana CM seeks GST exemption for agricultural tools

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has requested the Indian government to exempt ten agricultural tools from the Goods and Services Tax (GST). He made this appeal in a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Saini emphasized that farmers in Haryana are essential to the country's food supply. He believes that removing GST on equipment used for managing crop residue will encourage more farmers to use these tools. This step could help reduce air pollution from stubble burning, which has become a significant issue in recent years. The Chief Minister listed the tools he wants exempted, including rotavators, disc harrows, and straw balers. He pointed out that stubble burning negatively affects public health and is being closely monitored by the Supreme Court and the Air Quality Commission. Haryana's farmers have started adopting advanced technologies to manage crop residue. According to Saini, there was a 39% drop in stubble burning incidents in 2024 compared to the previous year. To further combat this problem, the state government has proposed a ₹200 crore subsidy for purchasing crop residue management machines in its action plan for 2025. The total cost of these machines is estimated to be around ₹500 crore, with the GST adding an extra burden of about ₹60 crore on farmers.