New Delhi, Jan 2: The Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA) on Friday urged the government to roll back the notified excise rates on tobacco products and revise them to revenue-neutral rates, to disincentivise smuggling, and support domestic agriculture.

A stable taxation framework, FAIFA noted in a statement, is necessary to sustain farmer incomes, protect employment across the value chain, and align economic policy with long-term public health goals.

The Ministry of Finance notification ‘Chewing Tobacco, Jarda Scented Tobacco and Gutkha Packing Machines (Capacity Determination and Collection of Duty) Rules, 2026’ has imposed an excise duty of Rs 2,050-Rs 8,500 per 1,000 sticks, depending on cigarette length, effective February 1.

FAIFA said such a steep hike in taxes would force domestic manufacturers to raise prices of finished goods, which will lead to a drop in sales, hurting farmers supplies in return. This could cause a glut in the tobacco crop market in the near term, it added.

“While announcing GST 2.0 on September 4, 2025, Government had assured that in the case of tobacco products, GST would be charged at 40 per cent of the retail sales price, while the overall incidence of tax would be kept unchanged,” said Murali Babu, President, FAIFA.

He further added that the farming community across India has been holding on to this assurance of revenue neutrality and had welcomed the government’s decision to rationalise GST by restructuring rates and doing away with the 12 per cent slab, which helped reduce prices.

Appealing to the government, FAIFA leaders stressed that India’s legal cigarette prices are already among the least affordable globally when measured against per capita income, as reflected in World Health Organization’s (WHO) affordability index.

Current steep increase will render legal products unaffordable to a huge section of consumers, accelerating consumer migration to illegal channels, it argued. FAIFA appealed to the government to ensure that taxation policies do not punish those who have always remained within the law.

Mumbai, Jan 2: The Indian benchmark indices traded in the green zone early on Friday, supported by strong macroeconomic indicators and stable domestic fundamentals.

As of 9.30 am, Sensex advanced 185 points, or 0.22 per cent to 85,374 and Nifty gained 61 points, or 0.24 per cent to 26,208.

Main broad-cap indices performed in line with benchmark indices, with the Nifty Midcap 100 adding 0.42 per cent, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 gaining 0.30 per cent.

Maruti Suzuki, ONGC and Tata Steel were among the major gainers in the Nifty Pack, while losers included Titan Company, Tata Consumer, Dr Reddy’s Labs, Apollo Hospitals and Bajaj Finance.

Among sectoral gainers, all indices were trading in the green except FMCG, IT and Pharma. Top gainers included auto and metal sectors, adding 0.89 per cent and 0.79 per cent.

Immediate support is placed at 26,000–26,050 zone, while resistance is placed near 26,250–26,300 zone, market watchers said.

Indian equities kicked off 2026 on a subdued note on Thursday, with benchmark indices ending largely flat amid thin trading volumes.

Analysts said that the impressive 25.8 per cent YoY increase in passenger vehicles sales in December bodes well for the auto industry and confirms the growth momentum in the economy. If this growth continues even at a slower pace, economic growth is confirmed, proving potential for earnings growth, they added.

The consumer durables industry lagged last year but could catch up. The beneficial impact of the interest rate cuts and GST cuts are yet to reflect in the demand for consumer durables creating good prospects for this sector in the short term, they noted.

In the Asian markets, China’s Shanghai index added 0.09 per cent, and Shenzhen edged down 0.58 per cent, Japan’s Nikkei declined 0.37 per cent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained 2.29 per cent. South Korea’s Kospi advanced 1.37 per cent.

The US markets ended in the red zone on the last trading day, as Nasdaq lost 0.76 per cent, the S&P 500 eased 0.74 per cent, and the Dow moved down 0.63 per cent.

On January 1, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold equities worth Rs 439 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were net buyers of equities worth Rs 4,189 crore.

New Delhi, Jan 1: Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Thursday that the first-ever Vande Bharat sleeper train will operate between Guwahati in Assam and Howrah in West Bengal.

He stated that the complete trial, testing, and certification of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train have been completed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the first Vande Bharat Sleeper Train on this route this month.

The Minister said that this development represents a significant milestone for Indian Railways, the nation, and its rail passengers. He also mentioned that 2026 will be a year of major reforms for Indian Railways, with several passenger-centric initiatives set to be introduced.

The districts that will benefit from the launch of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train include Kamrup Metropolitan and Bongaigaon in Assam and Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Maldah, Murshidabad, Purba Bardhaman, Hooghly, and Howrah in West Bengal.

The train will have 16 coaches, including 11 three-tier AC coaches, 4 two-tier AC coaches, and 1 first-class AC coach, with a total capacity of around 823 passengers.

The semi-high-speed train has a design speed of up to 180 kmph. It is fitted with ergonomically designed berths that have improved cushioning, automatic doors with vestibules for smooth movement and CCTVs in all coaches.

Vaishnaw further stated that a completely newly designed bogie with new suspension has been developed. The design parameters have been taken to a new level. Its interiors and ladders feature an ergonomic design, with special parameters implemented throughout for safety and security.

The Vande Bharat Sleeper Train will offer a comfortable, safe, and high-quality travel experience for overnight journeys. The timetable of the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train will be planned in such a way that it departs from its origin in the evening and reaches its destination early the next morning.

Passengers on the Vande Bharat Sleeper Train will enjoy region-specific culinary offerings during their journey. The train originating from Guwahati will feature authentic Assamese cuisine, while the train starting from Kolkata will serve traditional Bengali delicacies, ensuring a delightful and culturally rich dining experience on board.

The train is also fitted with the modern KAVACH safety device and has an emergency talk-back unit for communication between the passenger and train manager or loco pilot in case of emergency.

It is equipped with an improved fire safety aerosol-based fire detection and suppression system in electrical cabinets and lavatories.