Higher tax for tobacco: Centre mulls new bill for Parliament’s winter session; compensation cess stays for now

The central government is likely to propose legislation during Parliament’s winter session to implement a tax on tobacco and related products, potentially replacing the existing GST compensation cess levied on these items.The present compensation cess, applied alongside the 28% GST, is expected to remain for a minimum of three months, allowing the government to complete…

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‘Received assurance from all sectors’: Piyush Goyal assures full GST benefit transfer to consumers; defends three-slab structure

File photo: Union minister Piyush Goyal (Picture credit: ANI) Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal has assured that the reduction in Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates will directly benefit the common man, with industries across sectors committing to pass on the gains.Speaking to news agency ANI, Goyal said, “We have received assurance from…

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September 2025 bank holidays: Is it a bank holiday today, on September 5? Check details

Banks in several states are closed today, September 5, on account of Id-E-Milad and Thiruvonam, according to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) holiday calendar for the month.Customers have been advised to check with their respective branches before visiting, reported ET.As per the RBI notification, banks will not be operational today in Gujarat, Mizoram, Maharashtra,…

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US tariff impact: GST 2.0 set to provide relief to affected sectors; experts see boost to demand

Industry leaders and experts have said the newly announced GST 2.0 reforms will provide much-needed support to sectors impacted by the recent US tariff hikes, easing costs for consumers and boosting domestic demand. As per news agency ANI, stakeholders from textiles, automobiles, jewellery, exports and finance believe the rationalisation will help offset challenges posed by…

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GST relief for gems sector: Small diamond imports exempted from IGST; jewellery box tax cut to 5%

The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) on Friday said that recent GST reforms have delivered significant relief to the diamonds and jewellery sector, easing costs for both exporters and consumers.The government’s move to exempt imports of natural cut and polished diamonds up to 25 cents under the Diamond Imprest Authorisation Scheme (DIAS) from…

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Building resilient highways: India drives safer roads with data-led platforms; AI project iRASTE shows early gains

India is strengthening efforts to build a safer and more resilient road network by deploying technology-enabled, data-driven platforms such as the Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD), according to a report released by FICCI and Crisil.The report highlighted that iRAD, developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), has been implemented nationwide across all 36 states and…

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India food sector: Experts see food processing industry touching $535 bn by FY26; organic market set for sharp growth

India’s food processing sector, which contributes 7.7% to the country’s manufacturing output and supports more than 7 million jobs, is projected to grow to $535 billion by FY26, industry experts said at the Fi India and ProPak India event organised by Informa Markets.The industry is being propelled by rising consumption, higher exports, government support under…

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