GST Council is a forum where Centre-state partnership is seen in full force. In the spirit of federalism, there is one issue that the council should decide on when it meets on Thursday: industrial alcohol.
Industrial alcohol and potable (drinkable) liquor are both made from rectified spirit, a concentrated spirit containing up to 95% alcohol. Rectified spirit is further processed, and its alcohol strength reduced - to up to 42.5% in the case of whisky, and lower depending on the beverage - to make it drinkable. When rectified spirit undergoes 'denaturation' - making it unfit for human consumption - it becomes industrial alcohol, a critical input for the pharma, chemical and cosmetic industries.