###Marble Association Delegation Meets Deputy CM Diya Kumari and Industry Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore

Udaipur: Office-bearers of the Udaipur Marble Association met Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Diya Kumari and Industry Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore in Jaipur to discuss various issues related to the expansion and development of the marble industry in the Udaipur region.

Association President Pankaj Kumar Gangawat, Former President Bhupendra Singh Rao, and Vice President Rajendra Kumar Maur held detailed discussions on key matters affecting the marble sector, with the primary focus being the high GST rate imposed on marble.

President Gangawat recalled that during Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's visit to the Udaipur Marble Association office on 22 August 2024, the association had requested a reduction in GST on marble and granite from 18% to 5%. Following up on that, the association has now urged the Rajasthan government to present this proposal in the upcoming GST Council meeting, emphasizing that marble is one of Rajasthan’s core industries and should be taxed at the same rate as Kota stone, sandstone, and other stones.

Deputy CM Diya Kumari and Industry Minister Rathore assured the delegation that the state government would make positive efforts to address the issue.

The delegation also raised concerns about the impact of the central government's Open General License (OGL) policy, which has led to over a tenfold increase in the import of foreign marble, adversely affecting domestic producers. They urged the government to take measures to regulate this.

Additionally, the association submitted a proposal for the development of a new marble industrial zone at Bhilon Ka Bedla and sought resolution of issues related to existing industrial areas.

The delegation also met RIICO Managing Director Shivangi Swarnkar and Executive Director Akash Tomar to discuss ongoing challenges in the RIICO marble zone of Udaipur and requested quick solutions for the same. RIICO officials assured them of prompt action.

On the same day, a delegation from the All Rajasthan Marble Association also met Union Minister Bhagirath Chaudhary and urged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to reconsider the GST rate on marble.

Traders across the Rajasthan Marble Stone Industries now hope that their collective efforts will soon yield positive results.