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

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