Budget 2015: Alcohol to aerated drinks, here's what will get more expensive this year

The Union Budget 2015 has been presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and as always some things are going to get more expensive post the budget. Here we take a quick look at things that will get more expensive. Alcohol Love to drink when out for dinner? Have been dying to try out the Japanese Yamakazi whisky? Well duty-free is now your best bet for getting slightly cheaper alcohol. The government has increased the Service Tax rate from 12 percent plus Education Cesses to 14 percent. This means that your bill eating out will now be more. Also Service Tax will be levied on any production or manufacture of alcoholic liquor for human consumption. That means even your bottled booze will cost more. [caption id=“attachment_2128273” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Alcohol. Reuters[/caption] Amusement Parks Parents, who thought that amusement parks and theme parks would provide for great weekend getaways, get ready to shell out more on these. In Budget 2015, the Service Tax Negative List has been reviewed to include Service Tax to be levied on the service provided by way of access to amusement. There goes your weekend at Essel World. [caption id=“attachment_2128379” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Amusement Parks will also be more expensive. Reuters[/caption] Cigarettes, Tobacco In Budget 2015, the excise duty on cigarettes is being increased by 25 percent for cigarettes of length not exceeding 65 mm and by 15 percent for cigarettes of other lengths. Similar increases are proposed on cigars, cheroots and cigarillos. For chain-smokers, this is definitely not good news. [caption id=“attachment_2128383” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Smoking will definitely get more expensive. Reuters[/caption] Aerated drinks, flavoured drinks Love guzzling Coca Cola or Pepsi during lunch or with Pizza? It will get more expensive as the excise duty on aerated water has been increased from 17.5 percent to 18 percent in the budget. Packaged drinking water will cost more now as well. We suggest you don’t go anywhere in this summer without your own bottle of water. [caption id=“attachment_2128263” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Drinking cola, packaged water will cost you more. Reuters[/caption] Plastic bags and sacks The government has also increased the excise duty on sacks and bags of polymers of ethylene which are used for other than for industrial use. It now stands at 15 percent from an earlier 12 percent. Thus your polythene will cost you more now. [caption id=“attachment_2128265” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Plastic bags will cost more. Even the sabzi-wallah might start charging you for these. Reuters[/caption] Business and executive class air travel The abatement aka subsidy for executive (business/first class) air travel, wherein the service element is higher, is being reduced from 60 percent to 40 percent. What this means is that now service tax will be payable on 60 percent of the value of fare for business class. If you were dreaming of a business class trip abroad, the taxes will make the ticket price much higher. [caption id=“attachment_2128267” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Business Class and First class air travel will cost more. Reuters[/caption] Music concerts Service tax will be levied on entertainment event like concerts, non-recognised sporting events, pageants, music concerts and award functions, if the amount charged for admission is more than Rs 500 in Budget 2015. And let’s face it, all the good music concerts will cost more than Rs 500 for a ticket. [caption id=“attachment_2128405” align=“alignleft” width=“825”] Music concerts will also cost you more. Reuters[/caption]