Kolkata, Jun 29 (UNI) West Bengal Government has decided to maintain the usual 2 per cent tax on tickets for regional films by waiving off a percentage of its share from the Goods and Services Tax (GST). State Finance Minister Dr Amit Mitra today said, “It was initially decided to impose 28 per cent GST on film tickets. We had fought in the GST Council and made them bring it down to 18 per cent for tickets worth below Rs 100." "Out of it, a state’s share is 9 per cent. Out of that, the state government has decided to waive off 7 per cent. As a result, only 2 percent tax will be imposed on film tickets below Rs 100,″ he said. "In the present tax regime, the state charges only 2 per cent entertainment tax on film tickets. Thus, one doesn’t have to bear any additional tax from the State Government to buy a movie ticket,” Dr Mitra said. The finance minister said, “For tickets worth more than Rs 100, the GST is 28 per cent with a state’s share of 14 per cent. In this case, too, we have decided to waive 12 percent of the state’s share. As a result, people do not have to pay more than 2 percent tax for the state government.” It will be applicable for movies in three regional languages — Bengali, Nepali and Santhali, Dr Mitra added.. The single screen theatre owners have expressed their happiness with the announcement of the finance minister. UNI BM