Chennai: Tamilnadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan has said the State government is ready to reconsider its decision on the issue of bringing fuel prices under the Goods and Services Tax regime, provided the Centre gives up the cess surcharge on petrol and diesel.
He said this in response to the statement made by his predecessor and AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam, asking the DMK government if they had changed its stand with regard to bringing fuel under GST from their tenure as the opposition and on assuming power.
Claiming that the Union government is levying heavy cess of Rs 32.9 per litre petrol and Rs 31.8 on a litre of diesel, he said it goes undivided with the States.
He said that GST introduced in 2017 has taken away all 75 per cent taxation rights of all the States, leaving them with only fuel and liquor under their control.
Despite the phenomenal decrease in the international prices of crude oil, the Union government put up the cess surcharge on petrol and diesel and did not share with the States the revenue thereof, he added.