BRS Deputy Floor Leader Harish Rao Calls for Fuel Tax Relief in Telangana

Hyderabad — BRS Deputy Floor Leader Harish Rao has pressed the Telangana government to cut Value Added Tax on fuel products, citing the financial hardship faced by ordinary citizens grappling with elevated living expenses.

In correspondence directed to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, the former minister contended that the ruling Congress administration has not delivered on its pre-election commitments regarding fuel affordability. He highlighted the particular strain on economically vulnerable households, agricultural workers, commercial transporters, retail entrepreneurs, and wage earners.

Petrol in Hyderabad is currently priced at Rs. 115.62 per litre, with diesel reaching Rs. 103.76 per litre, according to Rao's statements. He argued that successive price escalations have substantially expanded the state's VAT receipts from fuel sales, with the government potentially accumulating approximately Rs. 2,000 crore in incremental annual tax revenue as fuel levies move in tandem with market price movements.

The BRS leader characterised this situation as contradictory to the government's stated values, noting that rising fuel taxes have transferred mounting household costs to residents while state coffers have expanded. He reminded the Chief Minister that during his tenure leading the state Congress party, Revanth Reddy had publicly criticised the previous administration's fuel taxation policies.

Prior to assuming office, Congress party representatives—including Revanth Reddy—had repeatedly pledged to reduce fuel levies. Rao asserted that since taking power, the Congress government has not implemented any VAT reduction, not even a marginal 0.1 percentage point cut.

The former minister emphasised that a government committed to "Praja Palana" (people's governance) ought not to perpetuate elevated fuel taxation that burdens citizens. He has formally requested that the Telangana government cut VAT on petrol and diesel by a minimum of 10 percent, framing the decision as a choice between supporting struggling people or maximising tax revenue.

Rao also forwarded his letter to Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, requesting that he encourage the state Chief Minister to honour the Congress party's fuel tax reduction commitments.