ITC pushes for compulsory licensing for cigarette firms

KOLKATA: ITC Ltd said it has been advocating compulsory licensing of all cigarette-making units irrespective of size, and rise in customs duty on imported cigarettes

KOLKATA: ITC Ltd said it has been advocating compulsory licensing of all cigarette-making units irrespective of size, and rise in customs duty on imported cigarettes to rates fixed by the WTO. ITC said high incidence of taxation and “a discriminatory regulatory regime” on cigarettes in India have led to a shift in tobacco consumption to lightly taxed or tax-evaded tobacco products, including bidi, khaini, chewing tobacco, gutkha and illegal cigarettes, which constitute over 89% of India’s tobacco consumption.

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