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The Union Government is set to introduce a new cess regime targeting sin goods, beginning with pan masala and eventually extending to cigarettes and other tobacco-based products. As Parliament’s Winter Session begins, this marks one of the most significant fiscal policy developments replacing the GST Compensation Cess framework. Introduction of the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will introduce the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha. The objective of the legislation is two-fold: To mobilize funds for national security expenditure , and To strengthen public health financing . The bill empowers the central government to impose a cess on pan masala and any other items it notifies under public interest. Once passed, the cess will come into effect from the date it is notified in the Official Gazette. Scope of Goods Covered Under the New Cess While the bill is expected to begin with p...

The Government of India has introduced a long-awaited compensation plan for road accident victims, proposing ₹2 lakh for fatalities and ₹1 lakh for grievous injuries . The draft scheme, formulated under Section 164A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 2019 , is now pending review by the Supreme Court of India . Background: A Delayed Implementation The proposal comes over three years after Parliament passed amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act in 2019 to ensure interim financial relief for victims of road accidents. Although the law was formally notified on April 1, 2022 , the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) had failed to frame a detailed implementation mechanism. The delay prompted advocate Kishan Chand Jain to approach the Supreme Court. In April 2025, a bench led by Justice JB Pardiwala granted the Centre four months to finalise the compensation scheme—a deadline that lapsed on August 28, 2025 . The draft scheme was filed with the apex court a day later, on August 2...