Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 9: Parliament on Monday gave its final nod to the Health Security and National Security Cess Bill 2025, which seeks to impose a cess on pan masala manufacturing units to boost funding for national security initiatives and public health programmes. The Lok Sabha had cleared the bill last Friday.

Introducing the bill in the Rajya Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the proposal aims to create a “dedicated resource stream” for two critical sectors of national importance. She emphasised that the cess targets demerit goods and does not affect essential commodities or burden ordinary citizens.

“This tax or cess is to be a deterrent to those who tend to use these demerit goods, and it certainly doesn’t burden ordinary citizens an

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