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Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar ruled out any reduction in the Value Added Tax (VAT) rate on the fuel in the state on the plea that the state had already reduced it from 27 per cent to 24.5 per cent a few years back. |
There is little scope to effect a further reduction in VAT and sales tax rates in Bihar. Even if the state government decides to reduce the tax rate, it would not provide much relief to the people. But if the Centre wishes to roll back the hike, it can do so, he said.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of first women’s cooperative conference in Patna, Nitish blamed the Centre for always delaying the decisions in matters of public interest like providing coal linkage for Barauni thermal plant. But it does not hesitate in effecting a hike of Rs 7.5 per litre on petrol price.
Stating that the economy is passing through a bad phase he said that this is the result of poor fiscal management. Rupee is at an all-time low against the US dollar and prices are rising. He asked the Centre to immediately withdraw the hike.VAT rate in Bihar is more than neighbouring Jharkhand, where it is 20 per cent. Thus petrol is a bit cheaper there. On the other hand states like Goa, Uttarakhand and Kerala have brought down VAT rate.
The NDA in New Delhi has called for a nationwide bandh against petrola price hike on May 31.Meanwhile, criticizing the double standards of the NDA, Congress spokesman Premchandra Mishra, said it is ridiculous to impose a huge levy, that is VAT, of Rs 15 per litre on petrol in the state.
The Nitish government has no moral right to call a bandh on the issue. It is equally responsible for petrol price hike. RJD MP Ram Kripal Yadav too called upon the state government to reduce the VAT rate. “If Uttarakhand, Goa and Kerala can reduce the VAT rate, why can’t Bihar do the same?”
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