The Central Government in the last three General Budgets viz 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 has gradually abolished various cesses on goods and services in order to prepare the ground for smooth roll- out of Goods and Service Tax (GST) from 1st July, 2017. The Central Government has taken this step in stages by abolishing various cesses so that it is easier to fit in various goods and services in different tax slabs for GST.

The Central Government in its General Budget 2015-16 had abolished Education Cess, including Secondary and Higher Education Cess on taxable services, and exempted Education Cess on excisable goods as well as Secondary and Higher Education Cess on excisable goods.

In its General Budget 2016-17, the Central Government abolished cess on cement, strawboard, three cesses including cess on Iron Ore Mines, Manganese Ore Mines and Chrome Ore Mines by amending Labour Welfare Cess Act, 1976, Tobacco cess by amending the Tobacco Cess Act 1975, and Cine Workers Welfare Cess by amending the Cine Workers’ Welfare Cess Act 1981 among others.

In its General Budget 2017-18, the Central Government abolished Research and Development cess by amending the Research and Development Cess Act.

Through Taxation Laws Amendment Act 2017, the following cesses are abolished. However, the date of the implementation will coincide with the date of the GST roll-out:

i)        The Rubber Act 1947 – Cess on Rubber

ii)       The Industries (Development and Regulation) Act 1951 – Cess on Automobile

iii)      The Tea Act 1953 – Cess on Tea

iv)      The Coal Mines (Conservation and Development) Act, 1974 – Cess on Coal

v)       The Beedi Workers’ Welfare Cess Act 1971 – Cess on Beedis

vi)       The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act 1977 – Cess levied on Water consumed by certain industries and by local authorities.

vii)      The Sugar Cess Act 1982, the Sugar Development Fund Act 1982 – Cess on Sugar

viii)     The Jute Manufacturers Cess Act 1983 – Cess on Jute Goods manufactured or produced or in part of Jute.

ix)       The Finance (2) Act 2004 – Education Cess on Excisable Goods

x)        The Finance Act, 2007 – Secondary and Higher Education Cess on Excisable Goods

xi)       The Finance Act 2010 – Clean Energy Cess

xii)      The Finance Act 2015 – Swachh Bharat Cess

xiii)     The Finance Act 2016 – Infrastructure Cess and Krishi Kalyan Cess

However, the following cesses will continue to be levied under the GST regime since they pertain to customs or goods which are not covered under the GST regime:

i)       The Finance (2) Act 2004 – Education Cess on Imported Goods

ii)      The Finance Act, 2007 – Secondary and Higher Education Cess on Imported Goods

iii)     Cess on Crude Petroleum Oil under the Oil Industry Development Act, 1974

iv)     Additional Duty of Excise on Motor Spirit (Road Cess)

v)      Additional Duty of Excise on High Speed Diesel Oil (Road Cess)

vi)     Special Additional Duty of Excise on Motor Spirit

vii)    NCCD on Tobacco and Tobacco Products and Crude Petroleum Oil.

Cess abolition under GST transition simplifies tax structure, while customs-related cesses and certain excise levies remain applicable. The Central Government abolished multiple statutory cesses in stages to facilitate GST roll out, repealing education cesses on services and excisable goods, various sectoral and product cesses, and several finance act levies by Taxation Laws Amendment Act, with effect linked to GST commencement. Cesses that continue to be levied are those tied to imports or to goods outside GST coverage, including education cesses on imported goods, cess on crude petroleum, additional duties and road cesses on motor fuels, special additional excise on motor spirit, and NCCD on tobacco and crude petroleum.