The budget proposals were passed by the parliament on Friday, with some more reliefs to various sectors, but not to the tea packeting industry.

On repeated plea from the dairy industry, the government and the finance ministry thought it fit to exempt the packaged cheeze and butter from the excise levy. However, the same benefit was not given to the tea packet industry.

"We have been forced to pass on this levy on to the consumers," TPAI president Pavan Khanna said. "This will not only make the tea costlier by Rs 12 per kg in the domestic market, but even the exported tea will be costlier to a similar extent, even when the excise levy is modvatable."