SPCC to protest against high VAT on LPG cylinders

Gangtok, Jun 19 (UNI) The Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC) today threatened to organise rallies if the state government did not reduce the high Value Added Tax (VAT) imposed on commercial LPG cylinders.

In a statement SPCC Grievance Cell Chairman S K Bardewa said the VAT in Sikkim was three times higher than the neighbouring West Bengal.

While the VAT on commercial cylinder in West Bengal was only four per cent, in Sikkim it has been fixed at 12.5 per cent.

The high VAT not only led to rise in cyclinder price but also adversely affected the the Tourism and hospitality sector in the state, he said.

The Congress leader demanded that the VAT on commercial cylinders should be reasonaly reduced forthwith and the state Tourism department provide substantial subsidy as an incentive for the growing tourism sector failing which the party would organise statewide rallies to protest against the '' arbitary and illogical'' high VAT rate, Mr Bardewa said.

UNI