‘States should reduce VAT’: PM Modi’s advice to CMs amid high fuel prices

New Delhi: Amid the escalating fuel prices, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked the states to lower the taxes for mitigating the burden of common people.

PM Modi made the appeal to Chief Ministers of states while holding a meet on Corona situation in the country.

This is Prime Minister’s first reaction to the surging fuel prices, which got further hit by Russian-Ukraine military conflict.

PM Modi said that those states who couldn’t lower the taxes should do it now.

#WATCH | Centre reduced the excise duty on fuel prices last November and also requested states to reduce tax. I am not criticizing anyone but request Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Jharkhand, TN to reduce VAT now and give benefits to people: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/IPIuOJyTGK

— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2022

“States like Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Telangana, Maharashtra, Kerala and Jharkhand did not reduce tax on fuel, and should do it now,” PM Modi said.

“Centre reduced the excise duty on fuel prices last November and also requested states to reduce tax. I am not criticizing anyone but requesting to reduce VAT now so that people could benefit,” he said.

Fuel prices surging to record highs has given enough handle to Congress to launch an unrelenting onslaught against the Centre.

Congress slammed the Modi government over high inflation and also demanded answers as to what steps were being taken to bring down the prices of essential commodities.

Rahul Gandhi said that the rate of inflation has gone upto 6.5% while the fixed deposit rates in bank accounts stands merely at 5%.

“Forget depositing Rs 15 lakh to your bank accounts, PM Modi’s ‘masterstrokes’ have demolished your hard-earned savings,” he said on Twitter.