ISLAMABAD, June 8: The government has increased general sales tax on import of 39 types of raw materials from 15 per cent to 20 per cent in the budget for fiscal 2003-04.

According to a sales tax notification issued here on Sunday, the government has already levied 20 per cent GST on 216 raw materials at import stage.

The new raw materials included — import of soya beans, whether or not broken, and its subsequent supply; linseed, whether or not broken, and its subsequent supply; canola seeds, whether or not broken, and its subsequent supply; rapeseed, whether or not broken, and its subsequent supply; low erucic acid or colza seeds, and its subsequent supply; other rape or colza seeds, whether or not broken, and its subsequent supply; sunflower seeds, whether or not broken, and its subsequent supply; palm nuts and kernels, whether or not broken, and its subsequent supply; cotton seeds, whether or not broken, and its subsequent supply; castor oil seeds, whether or not broken, and its subsequent supply; sesame seeds, whether or not broken, and its subsequent supply; mustard seeds, whether or not broken, and its subsequent supply; safflower seeds, whether or not broken, and its subsequent supply; other oilseeds and oleaginous fruits, whether or not broken, and its subsequent supply.

It also includes 20 per cent GST on import of degras; residues resulting from the treatment of fatty substances or animal vegetable waxes; diphosphorus pentaoxide; phosphoric acid; polyphosphoric acids, whether or not chemically defined; other inorganic acids and other inorganic oxygen compounds of non-metals; sodium hydroxide (caustic soda); potassium hydroxide (caustic potash); peroxides of sodium or potassium; sulphates; alums; peroxosulphates (persulphates); phosphinates (hyopophosphites), phosphonates (phosphates) and phosphates; polyphosphates, whether or not chemically defined; borates; peroxoborates (perborates); halogenated derivatives, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives; cyclic alcohols and their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivative; aldehydes, whether or not with other oxygen function; cyclic polymers of aldehydes; paraformaldehyde; saturated acyclic monocarboxylic acids and their anhydrides, halides, peroxides and peroxyacids; their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated derivatives; unsaturated acyclic monocarboxylic acids, cyclic monocarboxylic acids, their anhydrides, halides, peroxides and peroxyacids; their halogenated, sulphonated, nitrated or nitrosated; carboxyamide-function compounds; amide-function compounds of carbonic acid; nitrile-function compounds; organo-sulphur compounds; lubricating preparations (including cutting-oil preparations, bolt or nut release preparations, anti-rust or anti-corrosion preparations and mould release preparations, based on lubricants) and preparations of a kind used for the oil or grease treatment of textile materials, leather, furskins or other materials, but excluding preparations containing, as basic constituents, 70 per cent or more by weight of petroleum oils obtained from bituminous minerals; reaction initiators, reaction accelerators and catalytic preparations, not elsewhere specified or included; acrylic polymers in primary forms; polyacetals, other polyethers and epoxide resins, in primary forms; polycarbonates, alkyd resins, polyallyl esters and other polyesters, in primary forms; other plates sheets, film, foil and strip, of plastics, non-cellular and not reinforced, laminated, supported or similarly combined with other materials; other plates, sheets, film, foil and strip, of plastics (excluding formica sheets); natural rubber, balata, gutta-percha, guayule, chicle and similar natural gums, in primary forms or in plates, sheets or strip; recovered (waste and scrap) paper or paperboard.