Arun Jaitley, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, while presenting the Budget 2017-18 in Parliament, announced substantial relief in Customs and Excise Duties for renewable energy sector.
In a bid to incentivize domestic value addition under Make in India initiative of the Government, the Finance Minister has proposed to reduce Customs and Excise duties on several items related to the renewable energy sector. This includes items of machinery required for fuel based power generating system to be set up in the country for demonstration purposes; systems operating on biogas/ biomethane/ byproduct Hydrogen; LED lights or fixtures etc.
Finance Minister proposed zero Customs and Excise duty on certain items related to cashless transaction devices to promote domestic manufacturing of these products.
Proposals for reduction in Customs duty on inputs and raw materials to reduce costs and for incentivizing domestic value addition under Make in India have been submitted for certain items like Liquefied Natural Gas, Nickel, Vegetable Tanning Extracts and certain Capital Goods.