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Fuel rates in Himachal still lower than neighbouring states: Sukhu
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday said that even after imposing the widow and orphans cess, the diesel and petrol rates in Himachal are still lower than neighbouring states.
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday said that even after imposing the widow and orphans cess, the diesel and petrol rates in Himachal are still lower than neighbouring states.
“When I compared diesel and petrol prices in Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand, I found that they were ₹1.25 higher than in Himachal Pradesh. I then thought of imposing a cess for the welfare of widows and orphans, for which we have already passed a law. I am happy to say that even after this, our diesel and petrol prices are still 60–70 paise lower than those in Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana,” Sukhu told reporters in Bilaspur.
The Himachal Pradesh government imposed a widow and orphan cess of 60 paise per litre on petrol and high-speed diesel, which came into effect from midnight of August 11. The revenue generated from the revised cess will be used to support welfare of widows and orphaned children.
The cess will be charged at ₹0.60 (60 paise) per litre on petrol as well as high-speed diesel according to notification issued with the approval of the council of ministers. The levy will be collected at the first point of sale within Himachal, meaning it will be imposed before the fuel moves through subsequent stages of sale in the state.
The new cess has marginally increased the effective cost of petrol and diesel in the state, while the revenue generated is intended to support welfare measures concerning widows and orphaned children.
The fuel cess follows the passage of the Himachal Pradesh Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2026, by the Himachal Pradesh legislative assembly during the budget session earlier this year which empowered the state government to levy a widow and orphan cess of up to ₹5 per litre on petrol and high-speed diesel. The bill was passed amid uproar by the opposition BJP.
Assures full support for expansion of AIIMS Bilaspur
The CM has assured that the state government would extend full cooperation for the expansion and strengthening of AIIMS Bilaspur and make it a premier healthcare institution so that it can serve the people of Himachal Pradesh more effectively.
During his visit to Bilaspur district on Wednesday, the CM visited AIIMS and held discussions with the faculties regarding healthcare services and other related issues. He said the state government was making every possible effort to strengthen its medical colleges to provide world-class healthcare facilities to the people in all medical colleges by December this year, ensuring that patients do not have to travel outside the State for getting the best medical treatment.
He said that the state government has also set a target of increasing postgraduate medical seats by 330, which would help in improving the availability of specialized healthcare services in the state.
₹3,500 transferred to 1,500 fishermen
The CM transferred ₹52.50 lakh through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to 1,500 fishermen with Rs. 3,500 each of Bilaspur district under Mukhya Mantri Machhuara Samman Nidhi Yojana during his visit to the Jhandutta Assembly Constituency of the district.
He also announced the waiver of the five-fold penalty imposed on fishermen societies and increased the subsidy for establishing cold storage units from 70% to 80%. He announced ₹50 lakh for providing life jackets to fishermen across the state and Rs. 10 lakh for creating landing facilities for fishermen.
Addressing a public meeting at Dhrarsanni on the occasion, the CM said that listening to the voice of the common man and formulating policies accordingly was the true essence of ‘Vyavastha Parivartan’.
BJP slams Sukhu govt over new fuel cess
The state government is justifying the imposition of the cess to support welfare measures concerning widows and orphaned children. The notification was issued on Tuesday after the Himachal Pradesh Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was passed by the Himachal Pradesh legislative assembly during the budget session earlier this year.
Launching a scathing attack on the state government, former chief minister and leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said, “The CM is running a government characterised by the imposition of levies in the name of ‘Sukh’ (welfare/happiness). The Congress made grand claims to gain power, yet upon assuming office, it launched a campaign to burden the public in various ways. After raising VAT twice, a cess of 60 paise has now been imposed on petrol and diesel to put an additional financial burden on the common man”.
In a scathing attack, Jai Ram said, “Attempts are being made to run the government by collecting money from the public under the guise of an ‘orphan and widow cess.’ We had stated in the legislative assembly that taxes on petroleum have a far-reaching impact, causing the prices of all commodities to rise. At that time, the CM had assured the House that this was merely a provision and that they did not intend to implement it. However, true to form, his claim proved false”.
He added, “Himachal is a mountainous state where transportation and supply chains rely entirely on road networks. Consequently, this hike in diesel and petrol prices will severely affect the common man”.
BJP state chief spokesperson and MLA Rakesh Jamwal said, “The Sukhu government has made taxes, cesses and additional financial burdens its primary response to the state’s economic problems”.
“In 2023 alone, the Congress government increased the VAT burden on diesel by ₹6 per litre in two stages. Now, it has gone a step further by imposing a fresh 60-paise-per-litre cess on both petrol and high-speed diesel,” Jamwal said.
He said that the decision to impose widow and orphan cess would particularly affect farmers, horticulturists, taxi operators, transporters, small traders, the middle class and families constructing their homes.
He said “Welfare of orphans and widows is a sensitive and important responsibility of the government. But every welfare programme cannot become an excuse to impose a new tax or cess on the people. The government must improve its financial management instead of repeatedly reaching into the pockets of ordinary citizens.”
