Govt extends customs duty exemption on COVID-19 equipment till Sept 30

New Delhi, August 30: Amid looking at speculation over the third wave of the COVID, the Central Government further extended the exemption from Customs Duty/health cess on import of COVID relief items. These supplies include medical oxygen and related equipment and vaccines.

 

 

This is the second time the exemption has been expanded since its notification on April 24. The last deadline for the relief was August 31, which has now been increased to September 30.

 

The official handle of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) tweeted regarding the development. In a statement, the Ministry of Finance said the notice of exemption till August 31 has been extended till September 30.

 

 

The government has initially granted interim relief on import duty of Covid-related equipment in April when the second wave of coronavirus was wreaking havoc in India. At that time the Central Government had issued notifications exempting Basic Customs Duty and Health cess on imports of several COVID-related relief materials for a limited period.

 

Medical grade oxygen, oxygen concentrators, canisters, filling systems, tanks, generators, ISO containers for shipping oxygen, any other device from which oxygen can be generated, ventilators, high flow nasal cannula device, and more are exempted from the duty and cess.

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