JK News Today
Jammu, Sept. 26: The Commissioner/Secretary of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Saurabh Bhagat today chaired a high-level meeting focused on the transparent, fair, and consumer-friendly implementation of GST Tax 2.0 reforms. The aim is to ensure that the full benefits of tax reductions on common household products reach consumers effectively.
The chair emphasized that these relief reforms should be celebrated as a festival bonanza, as consumers eagerly await goods at reduced prices. In compliance to detailed directions issued by Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir to Legal Metrology department to activate the field force ,the Commissioner Secretary directed all concerned departments must work in unison and put forth collaborative efforts to implement the decisions and provide maximum relief to consumers.
Addressing concerns raised by manufacturers and businesses regarding unsold packaged goods and the flexibility in the usage timeline of existing packaging materials, the chair highlighted the issuance of a circular by the Legal Metrology Department dated 18.09.2025. In addition, a waiver for the mandatory declaration of revised MRP stickers and the issuance of advertisements in newspapers have been granted. It is now expected that businesses will pass these benefits on to the end users.
Deputy Commissioners have been instructed to form monitoring teams to oversee the ground-level implementation of the GST reforms. These teams will ensure accurate pricing and invoicing that reflects the actual selling price to consumers. Officers will also be responsible for confirming that revised price lists are communicated to retailers and wholesalers. Stock registers for inventories of unsold stock and packaging materials will be evaluated to ensure products are sold at reduced rates.
GST officers will scrutinize sales and purchase records, product classifications, and past sales data. All enforcing agencies must remain vigilant to prevent malpractices such as artificial price hikes or other methods that could exploit consumers.
To raise awareness among traders and consumers at the grassroots level, trade unions at the block level will be engaged to support enforcement efforts. Consumer organizations will also be sensitized to help spread information about the GST reduction benefits.
The meeting was attended by all Deputy Commissioners, the Controller of Legal Metrology, the Director of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, the Additional Commissioner of GST, representatives from the Health Department, and members of the Industries sector.
