The Commerce Ministry has proposed to restrict and reduce the amount of tax-free alcohol and cigarettes passengers can buy at duty-free shops while returning from an overseas trip.
According to reports, they are planning to allow one person to buy one bottle of alcohol down from the current limit of 2 bottles.
The ministry has also recommended that purchase of cigarette cartons at duty-free shops should also be banned.
There has been a proposal to cut the maximum value of goods and gifts that an individual can get into the country without paying taxes. Presently, the limit of such goods is pegged at ₹50,000.
All these measures are a part of the government’s plan to reduce import the non-essential goods in the country and control trade deficit.
The proposal has been criticised by flyers who used to shop for their favourite brands of alcohol at the duty-free shops.
This has to be perhaps the most empty headed and daft suggestions to curb non essential imports… https://t.co/sB8ilVLqlI via @BloombergQuint
— Aabhas Pandya 🇮🇳 (@PandyaAabhas) January 19, 2020
If we’re truly serious about reducing our trade deficit, we have to curb electronic imports from China. That alone adds over $50B to the trade deficit.
— ᴜᴅᴀʏᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏʙʏ ᴍᴀʟʜᴏᴜᴛʀᴀ 🇮🇳 (@UTobyM) January 19, 2020
Restricting the duty-free allowance of alcohol😂 is a nice headline that won’t change anything. https://t.co/RuLQ2PWNWa
50k rupees is 700 dollars.. which in itself was nothing. Now even that may be cut.
— shilpi tewari (@shilpitewari) January 20, 2020
Proposal seeking a cut in the value of goods and gifts that one can get in without paying duty, which is currently fixed at Rs 50,000. https://t.co/qK266kEl6D
Genius idea 63245.
— Nivedith Alva (@nivedithalva) January 20, 2020
Will immediately fix economy. https://t.co/bRANKHzI1a
The final decision on these recommendations is yet to be taken by the Finance Ministry.
