Hyderabad, Sept. 28 -- The Telangana Paper Merchants Association (TPMA) on Monday urged the central government to reduce GST on paper from 18 per cent to 5 per cent and establish a dedicated warehouse cluster in Hyderabad, citing rising input costs, competition from imports and increasing logistics expenses.
Addressing a media conference, TPMA President Abhishek Vijaywargiya said the Indian paper industry produced around 22 million tonnes annually and was growing at 7 to 8 per cent a year, driven largely by rising demand from the packaging sector.
India's per capita paper consumption stood at around 16 kg annually, compared with the global average of 56 kg, indicating significant scope for growth, he said.
Vijaywargiya said the industry ...