<h1>Excise Duty Updates: Exemptions for Tapioca Starch, Increased Duties on Cigarettes, SUVs, and Mobile Phones Over Rs. 2000.</h1> The news outlines changes in excise duty rates across various chapters of the Central Excise Tariff Act, 1985. Key changes include the exemption of tapioca starch and sago from excise duty, deletion of peanut butter's sub-heading, and an increase in excise duty on cigarettes and marble slabs. Ayurvedic and other traditional medicaments are now assessed based on MRP with a 35% abatement. Excise duty on mobile phones priced above Rs. 2000 is increased to 6%, while duty on SUVs rises to 30%. Handmade carpets and certain vessels are fully exempted, and concessions for hybrid vehicle parts are extended.