ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Friday presented budget for fiscal year 2021/2022 and proposed following budgetary measures pertaining to Federal Excise Duty (FED):
REVENUE MEASURES
1. In order to reap reasonable revenue from this sector, federal excise on mobile phone calls exceeding three minutes @ Re 1 per call, SMS message @ Re. 0.1 per SMS, and internet data usage @ Rs. 5 per GB is being proposed. This will result into mild taxation of a broad spectrum of population.
2. Electronically heated tobacco products are also proposed to be brought into the tax net by inserting new S. No. 8c of Table-1 of the First Schedule to the Federal Excise Act, 2005.
RELIEF MEASURES
3. In order to facilitate the people of tribal area and encourage investment and economic growth in these areas, exemption is being given from levy of FED to the industrial units located in FATA and PATA.
4. The provision to revise return without prior approval of the Commissioner-IR which is available in Sales Tax Act, 1990 is now proposed to be made available in Federal Excise Act, 2005.
5. Exemption from federal excise duty to 4-wheelers granted vide granted vide Tax Laws (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 is proposed to be incorporated in the Federal Excise Act.
6. The rate of federal excise duty on telecommunication is proposed to be reduced from 17% to 16%.
7. Payment on account of Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) is proposed to be excluded from the purview of FED.
8. For establishment of Border Sustenance Markets, exemption from federal excise duty is proposed to be granted on food related and other consumable goods.
9. Rising prices of locally manufactured small cars is a major concern for low earning families. Accordingly it is proposed that small cars upto engine capacity of 850cc may be exempted from federal excise duty.
10. In order to introduce new Export Facilitation Scheme, 2021, exemption on import and zero-rating on local supplies in respect of raw materials, components, parts and plant and machinery to registered persons is proposed.
11. Federal excise duty on fruit juices was imposed vide Finance Act, 2019 and resultantly, prices of juices were increased. Moreover due to pandemic, this sector is faced with adverse situation. In order to provide relief to this sector, it is proposed to withdraw federal excise duty on juices.
