Primary aluminium producers have urged the Centre to increase the import duty on primary aluminium and aluminium scrap to 10 per cent and reduce the customs duty on critical raw materials, such as calcined and raw petroleum coke, caustic soda and alumina.
They also want to eliminate the GST compensation cess of ₹400/tonne on coal to support highly power-intensive industries like aluminium.
Challenging times
In a representation made through the Aluminium Association of India ahead of the Budget, the producers said these measures are absolutely necessary to battle current challenges being faced by the industry in sustaining the share of the domestic aluminium demand — which is today being imploded with imported aluminium — as well as to make Indian aluminium more competitive in global markets to retain and boost exports.
The Indian aluminium industry is going through a challenging phase and is under immense threat by rising imports, declining domestic market share, increasing…