Chandrababu demands Jagan govt to slash taxes on fuel

Amaravati, May 23: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president and former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday demanded that Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh should cut state-level taxes on petrol and diesel following the Centre's move to slash excise duty and a similar action by some states.  

Naidu lauded the Central government for providing relief to the people by reducing prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas. He also welcomed the Centre's call to the state governments to decrease their state-level taxes to reduce burden on the people.  

The TDP chief demanded that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government in Andhra Pradesh decrease state-level taxes on fuel. He pointed out that Rajasthan, Odisha and Tamil Nadu governments have reduced their respective taxes on petrol and diesel. Naidu noted that the Centre decreased fuel rates by Rs 8 per litre on petrol and by Rs 6 on diesel. Many states also responded to the Centre's call. What wrong had the people of Andhra Pradesh committed that the YSRCP regime was not providing any additional relief on its part, he asked.  

Chandrababu deplored that instead of reducing taxes to provide relief, the state government was imposing new burdens on the people by slapping new taxes. He said this had resulted in skyrocketing of the prices of essential commodities. The life of the common man became miserable under the YSRCP rule.  

Claiming that Andhra Pradesh stood number one in the country in development during the TDP rule, he said under the YSRCP government, the state stands number one in high prices of petrol and diesel. IANS