Artisan's An(GST)

God’s own handiworks hang in the balance as the gst caused a severe blow to the already struggling artisans.

- A Ankitha & Nimisha S

The Chinese fishing nets are one of the most iconic images of the city of Kochi and is a tell-tale sign of Kerala and its vast history and culture. The cantilever nets have been a part of our landscape since 1350 – 1450 AD and are believed to have been introduced in Kochi by Chinese explorer Zheng He, from the court of the Kubla Khan. Centuries later these nets have been replicated and sold in and around Kochi, some replicas even mimicking the movements much to the amusement of tourists. But just as the Chinese fishing nets, both real and replica, hang in the balance owing to a government that has overlooked their wellbeing, so too does the lives of the artisans and the traders of the city and the state.

Examples like the one above are a dime a dozen. We all remember the stories of how the British systematically destroyed the muslin production in the country by imposing unbearable taxes and even cutting off the thumbs of weavers. Our history textbooks still teach these stories and we gasp in horror at the mere thought of it, but 70 years after independence the government’s GST regime seems to be figuratively doing the same to the artisans of the country.

Introduced on July 1, the new tax incorporates all levies previously charged by the Centre and states on businesses. It was meant to simplify the process of filing returns, especially for businesses operating across states that levied different taxes. But four months down the line, many businesses, particularly small and medium-sized ones, are struggling with the transition to the new regime.