Hyderabad: Telangana Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's criticism of the state for failing to reduce VAT on petrol and diesel with sharp jibes at the Centre, claiming that, unlike the Centre, the state had never raised the tax slab since 2014.
TRS Working President KT Rama Rao attacked the Centre in a series of tweets, and rather asked the PM Modi-led NDA government reduce the cess imposed on the state government so that it can make significant cuts in fuel prices. "Fuel prices have risen as a result of the Central Government's NPA (non-performing asset). Name-calling states for not lowering VAT despite the fact that we never raised it; is this the cooperative federalism you're referring to, Narendra Modi ji? Telangana has not raised the VAT on fuel since 2014, and it has only been rounded off once "Rao took to Twitter.
Rao continued his tirade against the Centre, claiming that Telangana does not receive its fair share of collected taxes due to the additional cess imposed by the Union government on the state. KTR claimed that the Centre is looting the Telangana government by taking 11.4 percent of the state's revenue in the form of a cess, and that as a result, adding that the state only receives 29.6 percent of the state's 41 percent share.
He also urged the ruling BJP at the Centre to give up their 11.4 percent cess so as to reduce petrol and diesel prices in India to Rs 70 and 60, respectively. He also pitched for 'one nation, one fuel price.'
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