Shimla, Mar 23 (PTI) Consumers in Himachal Pradesh will have to pay more for petrol and high-speed diesel, as the Assembly on Monday passed a VAT amendment bill, which seeks to levy an “Orphan and Widow” cess of up to Rs 5 per litre on these two fuels, despite the opposition BJP staging a walkout.
The cess has been levied to ensure a dedicated, stable and sustainable source of revenue for effective implementation and strengthening of welfare measures for orphans and widows, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said in ‘statement of objects and reasons’.
Opposing the Himachal Pradesh Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill 2006, Randhir Sharma (BJP) said after the cess levy, petrol and diesel would be costlier in the state compared to neighbouring states, leading to fuel inflation. He said that there was already an apprehension that the prices of petroleum products would increase due to the ongoing war between the US and Iran.
Opposing the Bill, leader of the Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur also said that there is fear of hike in petroleum prices due to war in the Gulf and additional cess imposed by the state would badly hit the people. He also objected to the name of the Bill.
Trilok Jamwal (BJP) said that it would hit all sections right from truck drivers to common man while Satpal Singh Satti (BJP) said it would put burden on petrol, pumps and prices of cement and other items would also go up. The government is collecting money in the name of widows, which is not right, he added.
Replying to the discussion on the Bill, Sukhu said that the Union government has also imposed a cess and also discontinued the Revenue Deficit Grants (RDF) and said that the BJP should impress upon the Union government to reduce the cess.
He dubbed the BJP as anti-state and against the welfare of orphans and widows. The BJP members started raising slogans and staged a walkout. PTI BPL MR
Category: Breaking News
SEO Tags: #swadesi, #News, Himachal assembly passes ‘Orphan and Widow’ cess on petrol and high-speed diesel