New Delhi: In a bid to reduce pressure on the rupee, the govt has decided to hike the import duty on 19 items.
According to a release by the finance ministry, the customs duty hikes will be effective from midnight on Wednesday.
Import duty on air conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines under 10-kilogram capacity has been doubled to 20 percent each from 10 percent earlier. The basic customs duty on radial tyres is now 15 percent compared with 10 percent earlier, while the levy has been hiked to 25 percent from 10 percent on footwear. The government also introduced an import levy of 5 percent on the aviation turbine fuel.
Here’s the full list of items on which tariffs have been increased:
| Items | Old Duty (%) | New Duty(%) |
| 1. Air conditioners | 10 | 20 |
| 2. Household Refrigerators | 10 | 20 |
| 3. Washing Machines less than 10 Kg | 10 | 20 |
| 4. Compressor for air conditioners and refrigerators | 7.5 | 10 |
| 5. Speakers | 10 | 15 |
| 6. Footwear | 20 | 25 |
| 7. Radial car tyres | 10 | 15 |
| 8. Non industrial diamond (other than rough diamonds) | 5 | 7.5 |
| 9. Diamonds-semi processed, half cut or broken | 5 | 7.5 |
| 10. Lab grown diamonds | 5 | 7.5 |
| 11. Cut and polished colored gemstone | 5 | 7.5 |
| 12. Articles of jewellery and parts thereof, of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal | 15 | 20 |
| 13. Articles of Goldsmith or silversmith wares and parts thereof of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal | 15 | 20 |
| 14. Bath, shower bath, sink, wash basin, etc. of plastics | 10 | 15 |
| 15. Articles of plastics for conveyance and packing such as boxes, case, containers, bottles, insulated ware etc. | 10 | 15 |
| 16. Tableware, kitchenware and other household items of plastics | 10 | 15 |
| 17. Miscellaneous items of plastics such as office stationery, fitting for furniture’s, decorative sheets, statuettes, beads, bangles etc. | 10 | 15 |
| 18. Trunks, Suitcase, Executive cases, Brief Cases, travel bags and other bags etc. | 10 | 15 |
| 19. Aviation turbine fuel | 0 | 5 |
The government hopes to provide a breather for the rupee. The country is facing the problem of current account deficit and fiscal deficit despite a robust GDP growth and falling inflation. The problem is further being heightened by a higher oil import bill.
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