World champion Manasi Joshi asks to waive GST for prosthetic devices
Earlier, last week, Manasi won her first-ever international career gold medal at the BWF Para-Badminton Championships.
World para-badminton champion Manasi Joshi, a week after her historic feat, appealed to the GST Council to waive taxes on wheelchairs and prosthetic devices.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Manasi voiced her concerns over the lack of financial support in para-sports.
“Walking is a basic requirement, our birthright, is it not? Then why do we have to pay GST on prosthetics? I make an appeal to the GST Council to waive taxes on wheelchairs and prosthetic devices,” she said.
Earlier, last week, Manasi won her first-ever international career gold medal at the BWF Para-Badminton Championships in the same day PV Sindhu bagged her World Championship gold medal.
The 30-year-old shuttler, who lost her left leg in an accident in 2011, stressed on the importance of making prosthetic devices more affordable.
“Today our country is technologically much advanced. We are sending missions to Mars and to the moon. Engineers and technical experts should come up with indigenous technology to make prosthetic devices more pocket-friendly for the thousands who require artificial limbs but cannot afford them,” she said.
Para sports has often been at the suffering end due to lack of financial support. The government lacks the funds to invest at the grassroots level, where the costs are comparatively less. For someone at Manasi’s level, the expenses become extravagant.
The two sets of prosthetics that Manasi uses cost her almost INR 26-27 lakhs. Without sponsors it is impossible to bear the cost for anyone and in the para-shuttler’s own words, not everyone has that support.
As she begins her preparations to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics in the mixed doubles category, Manasi hopes that the government, corporate houses and even insurance companies will come forward to support budding para-athletes.
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