Collection from excise duty on ATF in 2018-19 rose by 31 pc: Centre

The Centre collected Rs 2,540 crore in excise duty on Air Turbine Fuel (ATF) in 2018-19, up 31 per cent from the previous fiscal, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri told the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

In 2017-18, the Union government earned Rs 1,938 crore in excise duty on ATF, a jump of 27.5 per cent, from Rs 1,520 crore collected in 2016-17, he said in a written response to a question in the Lower House.

Puri also said the Centre has collected Rs 229 crore and Rs 162 crore in customs duty on ATF in 2018-19 and 2017-18 respectively. A basic customs duty of five per cent is levied on import on ATF.

He told the Lok Sabha that the decision to include ATF in Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime rests with the GST council only.

No decision has been taken in this regard, he said.

"Article 279A(5) of the Constitution provides that GST council shall recommend the date on which GST shall be levied on petroleum crude, high speed diesel, motor spirit, natural gas and ATF," Puri noted.