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‘From TVs to washing machines and smartphones, every major category saw increased demand, record sales,’ says I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in joint presser on GST 2.0 reforms.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addresses a GST Bachat Utsav Press Conference, held along with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, on the auspicious day of Dhanteras on October 18.
FM Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said GST cut benefits are reaching end consumers, and some items have seen more-than-expected price drops. She added that the government is closely monitoring the prices of 54 products to ensure the benefits of the revised tax structure reach the common man.
“More than expected tax reduction has happened and consumers have ended up getting benefits that were expected and some more than that,” said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during a GST Bachat Utsav Press Conference, held along with Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, on the auspicious day of Dhanteras on October 18.
In some cases, businesses passed on higher than expected GST rate cuts to consumers, the finance minister said.
“It was launched on the first day of Navratri, I feel the people of India have received it well,” the Finance Minister said, adding that the government has closely monitored 54 essential items and found that in every one of them, the tax benefit has been passed to consumers.
‘GST 2.0 Reforms Boost Sales’
She added that the last nine days of September alone saw a surge in purchases, with passenger vehicle dispatches touching 3.72 lakh units, two-wheeler sales reaching 21.60 lakh units, and three-wheeler dispatches growing 5.5 per cent YoY.
Emphasising on the impact of rate rationalization, Sitharaman stated that sales of television sets surged 30-35 per cent while the sales of Air Conditioners (ACs) doubled on the first day.
On day 1, LG India noted exponential growth in sales and during Navratri season sales of FMCG sector too have gone up, she further added.
Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal said the reforms were long in the making. “Finance Minister’s announcement of the GST reform on September 3 had been in the works for nearly a year and a quarter under the guidance of the Prime Minister. I thank the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister for making this year’s Navratri so special. On September 22, the new form of #NextGenGST was implemented. In the markets, among industry and business circles, and among the general public, everyone experienced a renewed sense of enthusiasm and energy,” he added.
He emphasised that the dual push of infrastructure investment and affordability is yielding a multiplier effect. “This is why India remains one of the fastest-growing economies globally. The IMF has revised our GDP growth forecast to 6.6 per cent.”
He credited Prime Minister Modi’s leadership for driving ease of living and inclusive growth. “From the poor to the youth, every section of society is moving forward with the resolve to build a #ViksitBharat by 2047.”
Union Information and Technology and Railways Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw shared the sales data of electronic items and added that electronics sales surged 20-25 per cent this Navratri compared to last year. “From TVs to washing machines and smartphones, every major category saw increased demand, resulting in record sales and a boost to electronics manufacturing.” The sector now directly employs 25 lakh people.
Vaishnaw also noted a 2 per cent reduction in food inflation, with prices experiencing deflation for four consecutive months. “This new economic atmosphere has reached every household. The spirit of swadeshi is stronger than ever.”
The ministers concluded that the GST reforms have successfully driven down prices while fuelling demand, marking 2025 as a turning point for India’s consumer economy.
On the monitoring of complaints, Sitharaman said, “The total number of cases or complaints that the consumer affairs department has received is 3,169 grievances. Of this, 3,075 grievances have been forwarded to the nodal officer in the CBIC (Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs). A total of 94 complaints were addressed at the department itself.”
Key Points of the Presser Today:
- Electronics items see record sales. About 20-25% more sales than last Navratri
- Stocks of 85-inch TVs ran out
- GST reforms have led to drop in food inflation. It is deflation
- Electronic manufacturing growing at a double-digit CAGR
- Smartphones exports from india to US has surpassed its neighbour. About 20% of manufacturing of a company happening in India
- Second semiconductor plant has begun production last week.
According to the Central GST zones’ monitoring data, the actual price decrease ranges between 5% and 12%, with some products witnessing even sharper declines due to the cumulative impact of tax reduction and competitive pricing.
| Commodity | GST Rate before 22.09.2025 | GST Rate after 22.09.2025 | Expected Decrease in Price (%) | Actual Decrease in Price (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Condensed milk | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 6.28% |
| Butter | 12%–18% | 5% | 6.25%-11.02% | 6.47% |
| Cheese | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 5.84% |
| Ghee | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 5.97% |
| UHT milk | 12% | 0% (exempt) | 10.71% | 9.09% |
| Dried fruits (almonds, dates, mixture of dried fruits) | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 10.43% |
| Chocolates | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 8.41% |
| Biscuits and cookies | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 8.11% |
| Corn flakes | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 9.23% |
| Toilet soap bar | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 9.96% |
| Drinking water bottles (20L) | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 9.00% |
| Soya milk drinks | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 9.96% |
| Tomato ketchup | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 9.88% |
| Jams | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 8.90% |
| Ice cream | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 8.63% |
| Cakes | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 9.80% |
| Hair oil | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 12.36% |
| Shampoo | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 12.63% |
| Toothbrush | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 9.87% |
| Toothpaste | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 8.37% |
| Dental floss (yarn) | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 7.76% |
| Talcum powder | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 11.22% |
| Face powder | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 9.13% |
| Shaving cream | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 10.27% |
| Shaving lotion | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 9.13% |
| Contact lenses / Spectacle lenses | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 7.15% |
| Spectacles and goggles for correcting vision | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 7.83% |
| Feeding bottles and nipples for infants | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 7.97% |
| Mathematical boxes, geometry boxes and colour boxes | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 7.45% |
| Exercise book, graph book & laboratory note book | 12% | 0% (exempt) | 10.71% | 8.09% |
| Pencils (including propelling or sliding pencils) | 12% | 0% (exempt) | 10.71% | 7.99% |
| Crayons | 12% | 0% (exempt) | 10.71% | 8.02% |
| Pencil sharpeners | 12% | 0% (exempt) | 10.71% | 8.53% |
| Erasers | 12% | 0% (exempt) | 4.76% | 6.93% |
| Air-conditioning machines | 28% | 18% | 7.81% | 7.20% |
| Dish washing machines | 28% | 18% | 7.81% | 8.42% |
| Television sets (including LCD and LED television) | 28% | 18% | 7.81% | 8.48% |
| Monitors and projectors | 28% | 18% | 7.81% | 7.01% |
| Drugs and medicines | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 6.16% |
| All diagnostic kits and reagents | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 6.09% |
| Thermometers | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 7.62% |
| Blood glucose monitoring system (Glucometer) and test strips | 18% | 5% | 11.02% | 7.77% |
| Napkins and napkin liners for babies | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 7.75% |
| Clinical diapers | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 7.86% |
| Gauze, bandages | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 7.58% |
| Bicycles and other cycles (including delivery tricycles), not motorised | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 5.46% |
| Tableware, kitchen or household articles of iron, steel and copper; Utensils | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 10.24% |
| Tableware, kitchenware, porcelain or china articles | 28% | 18% | 7.81% | 7.97% |
| Cement | 28% | 18% | 7.81% | 8.93% |
| Umbrellas and sun umbrellas | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 9.19% |
| Solar cookers | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 5.50% |
| Solar water heater and system | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 5.50% |
| Toys like tricycles, scooters, pedal cars etc. (including parts and accessories) | 12% | 5% | 6.25% | 8.93% |
(With inputs from agencies)
Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h…Read More
Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h… Read More
October 18, 2025, 14:13 IST
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