Yahoo Movies Centre Waives Import Duty on Remdesivir, Raw Material
Amid a huge surge in COVID-19 cases in India, the government on Tuesday, 20 April, waived customs duty on the antiviral drug, Remdesivir, its raw material and other components.
The move by the government will help increase domestic availability of Remdesivir, which is used to treat COVID patients and will also help reduce the cost of the injection.
The Department of Revenue in a statement said, “The central government, on being satisfied that it is necessary in the public interest, hereby exempts the goods when imported to India from the whole of the duty of customs leviable.”
Remdesivir active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), injection Remdesivir, and beta Cyclodextrin used in the manufacturing of Remdesivir are some of the items, on which the import duty has been waived.
Also Read: When Do You Really Need Remdesivir? Does It Work?
This import duty exemption will remain till 31 October 2021.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted on Tuesday said that this move will increase supply and reduce the cost of the drug.
In line with PM @NarendraModi's priority to ensure affordable medical care for COVID-19 patients, imports of Remdesivir API, injection and specific inputs have been made import duty free. This should increase supply and reduce cost thus providing relief to patients. pic.twitter.com/F40SX8mNeS
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) April 20, 2021
Recently, with the increased demand of Remdesivir, the Centre had banned the export of the injection on 11 April.
Also Read: Maha Remdesivir Row: Whys & Hows of Fadnavis’ Involvement in 5 Pts
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