Surat: An important meeting was held on 28th April 2026, at 11:00 AM at the FOSSTA office with senior officials of the GST Department to discuss potential GST issues.
It’s the ‘Lehanga’ that is giving sleepless nights to the traders in the country’s largest man-made fabric (MMF) wholesale market in the textile city of Surat. The Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTTA) has taken up the issue with the GST department for an early resolution.
An important meeting in this connection was held with the senior officials of GST department on Saturday. Principal ADG of DGTS Sushil Kumar, Joint ADG Chanchal Tiwari and Assistant Commissioner, CGST Kamal Aggarwal were present on behalf of the GST Department in this meeting. The main objective of the meeting was to understand the issues related to GST by traders and convey them effectively to the concerned department. Coming problems and complications
Dinesh Kataria, general secretary of FOSTA, while giving information, said that due to the change in GST rates on lehenga in Surat textile market, traders are facing a lot of difficulties. He said that a lehenga, which uses about 6.5 meters of fabric, is placed in the 5% GST slab if its price is up to ₹2,499, while if it is ₹2,500 or more, it is placed in the 18% GST slab.
The matter was put before the authorities at length. Also the recurring tax complications between 5% and 18% due to ancillary products related to lehenga like carts, foam, photography, paper cartoons, packaging waxes etc. which come under 18% GST slab were also discussed.
It was suggested by FOSTA that all these products should be brought under a uniform tax structure and brought under the ambit of 5% GST, thereby simplifying the tax system. It was also proposed that 5% GST be imposed on lehengas up to ₹7500, so that middle and lower class traders can get relief and business can run smoothly.
Apart from this, the meeting also proposed setting up of Textile University and R&D Center to take Surat’s textile trade to new heights. This will also encourage the new generation to enter the sector and become not only traders but also manufacturers.
Finally, all the suggestions and problems were seriously listened to by the officials and it was assured that all efforts would be made to resolve the suggestions by conveying them to the concerned higher authorities.
Also, a survey form will be issued by FOSTA soon, through which detailed information will be taken from traders through both online and offline channels about 18% GST lehengas and value addition items related to clothes which are used and carts and boxes are used in packing along with other items in the market like diamonds, plastic boxes etc.
The aim of this survey is to collect the real problems of the maximum number of traders on one platform and present them to the government in an organized and powerful manner. This will not only enable a clear assessment of the ground level difficulties related to GST, but also prepare concrete and practical suggestions for their solution.
This effort by FOSTA will prove to be an important step towards making the GST system simpler, transparent and business-friendly by strengthening the voice of traders.
