Slash ‘excessive’ VAT on fuel, withdraw additional levy and cess, demands APCC chief Sharmila

APCC president Y.S. Sharmila on Saturday criticised the TDP-led coalition government over the high fuel prices in the State, alleging that the government was burdening people through excessive VAT and additional cess on petrol and diesel.

Questioning the government’s vision of “Advanced Andhra Pradesh,” she said imposing heavy taxes on fuel, while advising people to adopt austerity measures was unfair. She also criticised the additional ₹4 being collected per litre, and asked whether the burden of savings and financial discipline was only for the public while the government avoided reducing taxes.

“Petrol costs ₹97.77 per litre in Delhi, but the price in Amaravati stands at ₹113.62. Similarly, while diesel costs ₹93.75 per litre in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home State, the price in Andhra Pradesh is ₹101.24 despite the State playing a major role in the NDA alliance,” she posted on X. She alleged that fuel prices in Andhra Pradesh were ₹10 higher than in Tamil Nadu, ₹7 higher than Karnataka and ₹4 higher compared to Telangana and Kerala.

She claimed that the people of Andhra Pradesh were bearing an additional burden of nearly ₹10,000 crore annually due to high VAT and accused both the TDP and the previous YSRCP governments of depending on heavy taxation since 2014 to raise revenues.

Ms. Sharmila demanded that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reduce the 31% VAT on petrol and diesel, withdraw the additional ₹4 levy and ₹1 road cess, and provide at least ₹5 per litre relief to the consumers.