The Calicut Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called upon the Centre to reinstate courier benefits for expatriates which were cancelled during the pandemic.
Chamber president Rafi P. Devasya handed over a memorandum to this effect to Union Minister of State for Shipping and Ports Sreepad Yasso Naik during the latter’s visit to Kozhikode recently.
Earlier, expatriates could send home goods worth ₹20,000 without paying the basic tax. It was later brought down to ₹10,000 and then ₹5,000 before it was cancelled. At present, expatriates should pay 73% of the total worth of the courier, including 35% basic tax, 28% GST, and 10% cess.
The chamber claimed that the cancellation of the privilege was a body blow for expatriates who were yet to recover from the COVID-induced financial crisis.
