Prices of 50 life-saving drugs likely to drop, including medicines for diabetes, blood pressure
New Delhi: In what could offer significant financial relief to scores of patients, prices of around 50 essential medicines, including those used to treat diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, and kidney disease, are likely to come down as the government considers reducing Goods and Services Tax (GST) on them, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has reportedly claimed.
According to IMA members quoted by The New Indian Express, the apex body of private practitioners has submitted a list of these life-saving medicines to the GST Council and held consultations with officials on reclassifying them under the exempted category.
The proposal reportedly covers drugs used in the treatment of cancer, kidney disease, high cholesterol, tuberculosis, joint pain, and other chronic conditions. Currently, many of these medicines attract a GST of 12% to 18%.
“We have been pressing for this reduction for a long time. If accepted, it will significantly reduce out-of-pocket expenditure for patients,” TNIE quoted IMA national president Dr Dilip Bhanushali as saying.
The IMA has recommended zero tax on insulin, oral anti-diabetic drugs, antihypertensives, cardiac medicines, and treatments for chronic kidney disease, thyroid disorders, osteoporosis, asthma, and COPD. The association has also sought exemptions for intravenous immunoglobulin and medicines used to treat blood-related conditions such as haemophilia and myelodysplastic syndromes.
The GST Council is expected to deliberate on the proposal in its upcoming meeting. If approved, the revised tax structure could slash rates from 12% to 5%, with some rare disease medicines potentially being fully exempted, added the report.
“The council seemed affirmative. We are hopeful that the government will consider our proposal as these drugs help treat a large number of non-communicable disorders rampant in the Indian population. Reduction in their cost would provide great relief in out-of-pocket expenditure for patients,” Dr Bhanushali added.
He also welcomed the government’s move to reduce GST on cancer drugs, noting that it would ease the burden on patients undergoing costly therapies such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
41 lakh illicit liquor seized, 1.84 lakh arrested in major drive: K'taka Minister tells Assembly
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Karnataka Excise Department has conducted a statewide crackdown on illegal liquor trade over the last two years, resulting in arrests and seizures of alcohol, Karnataka Excise Minister R B Timmapur said on Tuesday.
As many as 1,09,017 people were arrested, and seizures included 13.66 lakh litres of liquor and 27.19 lakh litres of beer, he said in a written reply to a starred question by Harihar BJP MLA B P Harish in the Karnataka Assembly.
The Minister said the enforcement drive covered the financial year 2023–24, 2024–25 up to June, and 2025–26 from July to October, targeting unauthorised liquor manufacture, storage, sale and transportation across the State.
"During this period, statewide enforcement drives resulted in a total of 1,84,570 raids against illegal liquor sales,” Timmapur said.
ALSO READ: BJP accuses Karnataka govt of 'failing' to prevent noise pollution caused by 'azaan'
He noted that 9,179 non-bailable cases and 91,968 bailable and compoundable cases under Section 15(A) of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, were registered during the same period.
According to him, there have been no reports indicating that students have become addicted to alcohol due to illegal liquor sales.
The sale of alcohol to minors is strictly prohibited under the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, and the department has issued periodic instructions to initiate legal action against violators, with strict enforcement and investigation measures in place, the Minister said.
Excise officials are carrying out regular road and night patrols, collecting intelligence, monitoring habitual offenders and conducting raids to identify illicit distillation units, unauthorised liquor outlets and spurious liquor manufacturing centres, he said, adding the department is also enforcing the law to prevent the production, storage, sale and transport of spurious, non-duty-paid and unauthorised liquor.
Regular patrols are being conducted on national and state highways, with suspicious vehicles being subjected to checks.
At the district level, standing committee meetings are held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners, and joint operations are carried out with the police and forest departments to curb excise-related offences.
The department is also conducting awareness programmes through Gram Sabhas and in schools and colleges to educate the public and students about the physical, mental and social health hazards associated with alcohol addiction and substance abuse, Timmapur added.
