HP to reduce Sales Tax on petroleum products: CM

Kangra, June 11: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has said his government was considering a proposal on ''reducing sales tax (ST)'' on petrol and diesel in the state to absorb a part of the fuel price hike.

''A final decision of reducing the ST will only be taken tomorrow after working out the modalities and assessing the financial implications,'' he told reporters at Bhedu Mahadev here last evening.

Mr Singh said the reduction in the sales tax will lower the burden on the common man to some extent and if there is any roll back of the recent hike, the resultant impact would me minimised.

The hike in the fuel prices would hit the hill states the most as all trade and passenger transport is done through trucks.

Earlier, the Chief Minister met a delegation of private bus operators who demanded a hike in bus fares and assured them that the reduction in the ST on fuel prices would ease their problems to some extent.

UNI