RESEARCH IT  >>  INDIAN ECONOMY  >>  BUDGET 2002

Tobacco Industry

  

Budget Measures

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  • Imposed a 15% surcharge on excise duty on cigarettes.

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  • The duty on 'biris' would increase from Rs 6 to Rs 7 per thousand biris.

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  • The total duty on pan masala would be 55%-60%.

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  • Miscellaneous tobacco products like chewing tobacco would be charged to a total duty of 60%.

      

    Budget Impact

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  • Would adversely affect cigarette manufacturers as usual. ITC, VST, Godfrey Philips are some of the players who will take a hit (that was expected).

    Gains through reduction in dividend tax
    Company No. of
    shares (m)
    Dividend
    per share
    Tax savings
    (Rs m)
    % addition to
    net profit
    ITC 245 9.0 265 2.7%


      

    Industry wish list

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  • Industry chambers are in favour that the specific excise duty structure based on the length of cigarettes should be continued.

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  • The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) in a pre-budget memorandum, have also recommended that the current slabs on cigarettes too should be maintained at current levels.

     
       Key Positives
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  • It’s a habit industry and hence, continues to thrive despite odds.

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  • Being a habit industry, it finds it comparatively easy to pass on excise duty hikes.

      
       Key Negatives
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  • Heavily penalized through punitive taxation policies.

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  • It has been proposed to ban public smoking, disallow tobacco companies from advertising in sports and cultural events. The bill if passed will put pressure on volume growth.