The GST Council has decided to set up a GoM (group of ministers) to look into the demand for a 1 per cent calamity cess on certain luxury goods by Andhra Pradesh to raise resources to mitigate natural disaster.
Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav said that there was a consensus that a GoM be formed.
"The cess will be on luxury items and state specific levy," Keshav said.
3 February 2026
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In September-October, Andhra Pradesh was hit by floods.
"To give us a leverage to come back to normalcy, we have suggested a 1 per cent cess. There was a general consensus to set up GoM," Keshav said.
The GST law provides for levy of special taxes for a specified period to raise additional resources during any natural calamity or disaster.
Earlier in 2018, the GST Council had decided to set up a GoM to look into similar demand made by Kerala.
The GoM in January 2019 decided to approve the levy of 1 per cent 'calamity cess' by Kerala for a period of two years to fund rehabilitation work in the state hit by floods. The goods and services that faced the 1 per cent cess were decided by Kerala.
