Shillong, July 1 (IANS) Providing relief to the people of Meghalaya from the recent hike in prices of petroleum products, the state government Friday waived the Value Added Tax (VAT) on cooking gas and kerosene.
‘We have decided to give full exemption of value added tax on cooking gas and kerosene to ease the additional burden faced by the common man,’ Chief Minister Mukul Sangma told journalists.
With removal of VAT, consumers will get a rebate of Rs.20.13 per cooking gas cylinder and Re.0.67 per litre of kerosene.
In order to contain the likely rise in the prices of other essential commodities on account of the hike of diesel by Rs.3 per litre, Sangma said consumers will pay Rs.0.50 paise less per litre.
He hinted that the state government would also take more steps to control price rise in the state.
The central government, after hiking diesel and kerosene prices by Rs.3 and Rs.2 per litre and Rs 50 in the case of cooking gas cylinders, had asked the state governments to reduce their taxes to lower the prices of these commodities
With the VAT exemption on these three key items, the Meghalaya government has estimated an annual revenue loss of Rs.9.52 crores.
He, however, said the government has already taken a number of steps for mobilization of additional resources to make up for these revenue losses in the larger public interest.
