Small Cars, Anti-AIDS And Anti-Cancer Drugs Would Be Cheaper

Reduced duties for a range of goods including small cars, anti-AIDS drugs, anti-cancer drugs would ensure easy access and increased affordability . The following is one of the highlights of the annual budget 2006-07, announced by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram.

The beneficiaries of this reduction will be the 800, Alto, Zen, Wagon-R from the Maruti Suzuki stable and the Tata Indica. The prices of 10 anti-AIDS drugs and 14 anti-cancer drugs will fall drastically with the excise duty being slashed to five percent.

The prices of electronic items like DVD players and combo drives will also come down, as also those of instant food mixes, ice cream, condensed milk, aerated drinks and footwear. Prices of steel and plastic products are also expected to head south with the excise duty on these reduced.

Excise duty on petrol passenger cars up to 1,200 cc and diesel cars up to 1,500 cc has been reduced from 24 percent to 16 percent, making them cheaper by Rs.12,000-20,000.

However, the cost of some 80-odd services ranging from telephony, to credit card balances, beauty parlours, cinema tickets, restaurants and consultancy services will go up with the tax on these being raised from 10 to 12 percent. On the flip side, set top boxes, vanaspati and cigarettes will cost more.

--Edited IANS