Sitharaman to move Health and National Security Cess Bill in LS today

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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to move the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025 for consideration and passing in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

The Bill aims to augment resources for meeting expenditure on national security and public health, and to levy a cess for the said purposes on machines installed and other processes undertaken for the manufacture or production of specified goods, and for matters connected therewith.

According to the list of business, MPs Jugal Kishore and Sanjay Jaiswal will present the Seventh Report of the Committee on Estimates (2025-26) on the subject 'Implementation of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) and PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana' pertaining to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in the Lower House.

On the fourth day of the Winter Session, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi and Ashok Kumar Rawat will present reports on the Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Basavraj Bommai and GM Harish Balayogi will present reports on Labour, Textile and Skill Development.

Meanwhile, in the Rajya Sabha, MPs Brij Lal and Harsh Vardhan Shringla will present reports on the Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Lok Sabha passed a Bill aimed at increasing excise duty on tobacco products and their manufacturing after a discussion.

The Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeks to revise excise duties on tobacco and related products after the expiry of the GST compensation cess.

"This is not a new law. This is not an additional tax. This is not something that Centre is taking away," Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her reply to the discussion on the Bill.

She categorically said excise duty would be levied and not cess, clearing apprehensions of some members. "This is not a cess," she said.

The minister said that the revenue collected will go to the divisible pool and will be redistributed again (at 41 per cent) to the States. "Many members here made the comment that this is a cess. Excise is not a cess. Excise duty existed before GST. Compensation cess is reverting back to the Centre to be collected as Excise duty, which will be redistributed to the States at the 41 per cent allocated.