Governor's intervention sought to cut fuel tax in HP

SHIMLA: The opposition Congress in Himachal Pradesh on Monday submitted a memorandum to Governor V S Kokje demanding that he exert pressure on the BJP Government to lower state tax or VAT on petroleum products to offset hike in prices.

Congress leaders, led by leader of the opposition Vidya Stokes, PCC President Viplov Thakur and former chief minister Virbhadra Singh submitted the memorandum.

Stokes and Thakur told reporters that the government had to slash tax on these products in line with other state governments. Thakur said "people of the state are forced to pay more on petrol, diesel and LPG than their counterparts in other states."

In HP, sales tax on petrol is 25 per cent, while it is 16 per cent on diesel. Besides, a four per cent VAT is slapped on LPG domestic cylinders and 12.50 per cent on commercial ones.