Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Polit Bureau member Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy on Sunday urged the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government to reduce the taxes on petrol and diesel to provide relief to the common people reeling under the impact of high taxes on fuel.
“Will the government not show mercy on the common man who is struggling to make a living,” Mr. Chandramohan Reddy tweeted, and accused Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of failing to come to the rescue of the people who had given the YSRCP 151 Assembly seats.
Tax on petrol and diesel remained high in the State as the YSRCP government collected 31% VAT on petrol and 22.5% VAT on diesel, and an additional ₹5 per litre on each, which jacked up the prices of all essential commodities, he alleged.
The Centre and a few States provided some relief to the people by slashing the tax on fuel, he added.
However, the YSRCP government remained unmoved by the plight of the people at a time when unprecedented increase in the prices of fuel had a cascading effect on the prices of all essential commodities, he alleged.
The Centre had cut the excise duty on fuel twice, he said, adding that the prices of fertilizers had also been brought down by the Centre to provide relief to people.
The State government could provide some relief to the people by cutting down the VAT by a minimum of 5% on fuel and remove the additional tax of ₹5 per litre being levied on petrol and diesel, he said.
