GST story: Snags and impact of 'one nation, one tax' on lifeline sectors

Handlooms, the lifeline of over 2.7 million households, is also being taxed for the first time in independent India

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) launched in India on 1 July is a new indirect tax structure which removes the cascading of several taxes on goods and services levied by the central government as well as individual states.

The aim of GST is to facilitate easy compliance, uniformity of tax rates and structures, easy administration, revenue efficiency in order to boost domestic production. But the GST has triggered massive protests and criticism throughout India among small businesses and trade groups.