Sitharaman introduces 2 bills in LS to levy excise duty on tobacco, cess on pan masala
New Delhi (PTI): Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday introduced two bills in the Lok Sabha to levy excise duty on tobacco and tobacco products, and a new cess on manufacturing of pan masala, which will replace the GST compensation cess on such sin goods.
The Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, will replace the GST compensation cess, which is currently levied on all tobacco products like cigarette, chewing tobacco, cigars, hookahs, zarda, and scented tobacco.
The bill seeks "to give the government the fiscal space to increase the rate of central excise duty on tobacco and tobacco products so as to protect tax incidence," once the GST compensation cess ends, according to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill.
The Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025, seeks to levy cess on the production of specified goods like pan masala.
The government may notify any other goods on whose manufacturing such a cess can be levied.
Sin goods like tobacco and pan masala currently attract a GST of 28 per cent, plus a compensation cess which is levied at varied rates.
The central excise amendment bill seeks to levy excise duty on cigars / cheroots / cigarettes in the range of Rs 5,000–Rs 11,000 per 1,000 sticks. Also, it proposes levy of 60-70 per cent on unmanufactured tobacco and 100 per cent on nicotine and inhalation products.
Currently, cigarettes attract a compensation cess of 5 per cent ad-valorem plus a Rs 2,076-3,668 per 1,000 sticks cess, depending on the length.
Once the compensation cess ends, sale of tobacco and related products will attract a 40 per cent GST plus excise duty, while pan masala will attract 40 per cent GST plus the Health Security se National Security Cess.
"It is proposed to levy the Health Security se National Security Cess to contribute towards the twin purposes of enabling targeted utilisation for public health, as well as national security," the statement of objects and reasons of the bill said.
TMC member Saugata Ray opposed introduction of the two bills saying that tobacco is harmful but the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill does not mention that. With regard to the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025, Ray said that since cess proceeds are not shared with states he opposes the bill.
At the time of the introduction of the GST on July 1, 2017, a compensation cess mechanism was put in place for 5 years till June 30, 2022, to make up for the revenue loss suffered by states on account of GST implementation.
The levy of compensation cess was later extended by four years till March 31, 2026, and the collection is being used to repay the loan that the Centre took to compensate states for the GST revenue loss during the Covid period.
Since that loan repayment is going to be fully repaid sometime in December, the compensation cess will cease to exist.
On September 3, 2025, the GST Council had decided to continue with the compensation cess on tobacco and pan masala till the loans taken are repaid.
On other luxury items, the compensation cess ended on September 22, when the GST rate rationalisation was implemented with just 2 slabs of 5 and 18 per cent. A 40 per cent rate was fixed for ultra-luxury goods, aerated drinks and other demerit goods.
The Central Excise Amendment Bill, 2025, and The Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025 will ensure that the tax incidence on sin goods like tobacco and pan masala remains the same after discontinuation of the compensation cess.
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LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
