Govt exempts electronic goods from customs duty

NEW DELHI: Liberalising baggage rules, the government said laptops and cinematographic films, exposed but not developed, brought as part of baggage have been exempted from customs duty. It enhanced the duty-free limit of quantity of alcoholic liquor and wines to two litres from the present one litre.
The government extended electronic filing of service tax returns to all 58 taxable sectors from the present 10 services.
To give a boost to emerging IT and electronics sector, it brought down customs duty to 0-5 per cent on specified raw materials and inputs for manufacturing electronic components and optic fibres.
It also exempted from custom duty specified capital goods used for manufacture of electronic goods, which now attract 10-15 per cent duty. Recorded video compact discs and digital video discs have also been exempted from excise duty.
Besides, manufacturers would now be allowed to remove semi-finished goods and finished goods for further processing or testing without payment of excise duty.

A day ahead of the meeting of Indian diaspora, the centre also accorded duty-free status to VCDs/VCRs, washing machines, PCs, laptop computers, refrigerators of upto 300 litre capacity and cooking range under transfer of residence.
Also, customs duty on 17 other items under transfer of residence has been halved to 15 per cent.