Aizawl, May 28: Mizoram’s opposition Congress on Thursday urged the state government to immediately suspend the cess imposed on petrol and diesel, alleging that the continued rise in fuel prices was placing an unbearable burden on the public.
Addressing a press conference here, Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) treasurer Dr Lalmalsawma Nghaka said the steady increase in global fuel prices, triggered by tensions in West Asia, had severely impacted consumers across the country, including Mizoram.
He said soaring fuel prices had sharply increased transportation and commodity costs, contributing to inflation in food items, essential goods, delivery services and public transport.
The Congress leader blamed both the Centre and the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) government headed by Chief Minister Lalduhoma for failing to shield citizens from the economic impact of rising fuel prices.
He said the BJP-led central government raised petrol and diesel prices four times in two weeks.
Nghaka also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic policies, claiming that India’s economy had weakened significantly under the current administration.
He alleged that despite the Centre’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ campaigns, the country remains heavily dependent on imports from China, particularly in sectors such as electronics, machinery, EV batteries, solar modules, and pharmaceutical raw materials.
Turning to Mizoram, the Congress leader alleged that the state government had collected more than Rs 143 crore through cess on petroleum products up to April this year.
He claimed that previous governments had not found it necessary to impose such high cess collections and said the current level of taxation on fuel was unprecedented in the state’s history.
“At a time when fuel prices are rising globally, the government should show concern for the people of Mizoram by temporarily suspending the cess on petrol and diesel,” Nghaka said.
In September 2024, the Mizoram government introduced a new levy and simultaneously hiked VAT on petrol (from 5.23 per cent to 10 per cent) and diesel (from 16.36 per cent to 18 per cent).
It had imposed a levy of Rs 2 per litre on both petrol and diesel for social infrastructure and services cess and an additional Rs 2 per litre for road maintenance.
In March, Lalduhoma had informed the Assembly during the budget session that the government collected over Rs 93.37 crore following the imposition of the levy of Rs 4.(PTI)
