WICMA Delegation Meets Maharashtra Chief Minister to Raise GST Concerns of Corrugated Packaging Industry
A delegation from the Western India Corrugated Box Manufacturers’ Association (WICMA) met Maharashtra Chief Minister and Finance Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai on July 28, 2026, to discuss key challenges affecting the corrugated packaging industry, with a particular focus on the GST inverted duty structure.
The delegation included WICMA Past Presidents Kirti Kumar Gandhi and Vincent Mathias, Vice President Shlok Kedia, Treasurer Ashish Gandhi, and Federation of Corrugated Box Manufacturers (FCBM) Past President Milan Dey.
During the meeting, the delegation highlighted how the current GST structure has impacted the competitiveness, liquidity, and working capital of corrugated box manufacturers. WICMA requested the Maharashtra Government to support the industry by taking up the issue with the Central Government and the GST Council.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis responded positively to the representation and directed his office to forward the industry’s memorandum to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. He also assured the delegation that the matter would be raised before the GST Council for appropriate consideration.
As a gesture of appreciation, the WICMA delegation presented the Chief Minister with a specially crafted corrugated memento depicting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The memento was designed and created by Haresh Mehta of Jayna Packaging Pvt. Ltd.
The delegation also met Minister of State for Industries, Investment and Services Indranil Naik, who acknowledged the industry’s concerns and requested a detailed representation. He assured WICMA that the matter would be examined and taken forward with the necessary support.
In addition, the delegation held discussions with Shrikar Pardesi, IAS, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, and Maya Patole, Joint Secretary, Government of Maharashtra. Both officials were briefed on the industry’s concerns and assured the delegation that the issues would be pursued with the relevant authorities.
WICMA credited the successful coordination of the meetings to the efforts of Past President Kirti Kumar Gandhi, whose initiative played a key role in facilitating the engagement with the Maharashtra Government.
