excise duty
India's Parliament Approves Increased Tobacco Excise Duty Bill Aligning With WHO Standards
Dec 05, 2025 02:16 am CST
India's Parliament has approved the Central Excise Amendment Bill 2025, raising tobacco taxation from 53% toward WHO's recommended 75% benchmark. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman confirmed the revenue will be shared with states while assuring support for tobacco farmers and beedi workers through existing welfare schemes and crop diversification programs.
Finance Minister Sitharaman Introduces Health Security Cess Bill to Strengthen National Security and Public Health Funding
Dec 05, 2025 12:51 am CST
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has introduced the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill in the Lok Sabha, proposing a production-based cess on items like paan masala to create dedicated funding for health and national security priorities. The bill establishes cess rates ranging from Rs 1.01-25.47 crore per machine monthly and includes comprehensive enforcement mechanisms for compliance.