Exempt customs/IGST on drugs for spinal muscular atrophy, Stalin urges Centre
The Hindu
The TN CM, in a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, pointed out that the gene therapy for this genetic disorder costs over ₹16 crore per person, and duties on it further increase the cost
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin wrote to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman requesting the government to exempt customs duty, integrated GST or any other such taxes on the import of life-saving drugs for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Pointing out that the gene therapy for this genetic disorder costs over ₹16 crore per person, Mr. Stalin, in his letter to Ms. Sitharaman, said drugs for this gene therapy were being imported by hospitals for treatment. In Tamil Nadu, annually 90-100 such cases are being reported. “A single dose treatment (Zolgensma) or multiple doses treatment (Spinraza) gene-therapy treatment or Risdiplam oral syrup is expensive and the parents of the children who are affected by the rare disorder find it difficult to meet the cost of the treatment,” Mr. Stalin said in the communication. A copy of the letter was shared with the media.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.