Story so far: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025 on Thursday (December 4, 2025), kicking off the Centre’s reform agenda for Parliament’s Winter session. The Bill proposes to levy cess on “machines installed, or other processes undertaken in the manufacture of pan masala” to fund India’s ‘health and national security’.
The Lok Sabha has already passed the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the amended Manipur Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, 2025 while the above-mentioned Bill is currently slated for debate and passage. Introduced as a money Bill, the Health security se National security Cess Bill, 2025 need only be passed by the Lok Sabha. The Upper House has 14 days to provide its recommendations on such a Bill which may or may not be accepted by the Lok Sabha.
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What does the Bill propose?
Termed the ‘Health Security se National Security Cess’, the Centre proposes to tax all those people who have machines installed for production of pan masala. The machines include fill and seal machines and any packing machine used to fill pan masala in in pouches, tins or other containers.
