(1) There shall be levied and collected, as a cess for the purposes of this Act, on every item specified in column 2 of the Schedule, which is produced in India (including the continental shelf thereof) and--
         (a) removed to a refinery or factory; or
         (b) transferred by the person by whom such item is produced to another person,
a duty of excise at such rate not exceeding the rate set forth in the corresponding entry in column 3 of the Schedule, as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify:
     Provided that until the Central Government specifies by such notification the rate of the duty of excise in respect of crude oil (being an item specified in the Schedule) the duty of excise on crude oil under this sub-section shall be levied and collected at the rate of rupees sixty per tonne.
     (2) Every duty of excise leviable under sub-section (1) on any item shall be payable by the person by whom such item is produced, and in the case of crude oil, the duty of excise shall be collected on the quantity received in a refinery.
     (3) The duties of excise under sub-section (1) on the items specified in the Schedule shall be in addition to any cess or duty leviable on those items under any other law for the time being in force.
     (4) The provisions of the Central Excises and Salt Act, 1944 (1 of 1944) and the rules made thereunder, including those relating to refunds and exemptions from duties shall, as far as may be, apply in relation to the levy and collection of duties of excise leviable under this section and for this purpose the provisions of that Act shall have effect as if that Act provided for the levy of duties of excise on all items specified in the Schedule.