The excise duty on smaller non-filter cigarettes (not exceeding 60 mm length) has been increased nearly five times to INR 819 (EUR 13.50) per 1,000 cigarettes from INR 168.

The move follows Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss's letter to Finance Minister Chidambaram in early February, urging him to raise the excise duty on non-filter cigarettes as they are low-end products. The finance ministry did not increase the rate on guthka (chewing tobacco) and bidis. (pi)