Commerce and Industry Ministry today asked the GST Council to grant ab-initio exemption to exporters from the GST and keep the labour-intensive sectors completely out of the tax net or put them in lowest slab. <br/><br/>Talking to reporters after attending the meeting of the council in New Delhi, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, for the leather industry, she wants complete exemption from the GST or keep them in the lowest slab. She further said, the ministry also favoured fair look under the GST regime for the cement industry, where taxation is currently very high. Ms Sitharaman said, the sector is important as the government is looking at schemes like housing for all, besides modernising road, port and other infrastructure.