Congress will reduce VAT if comes to power in Telangana: Jitin Prasad

Former Union Minister and Congress leader Jitin Prasad on Saturday said that Congress party will reduce the Value Added Tax (VAT) on petroleum products if it comes to power in Telangana.

Outlining that he has previously served as petroleum minister in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, Prasad while addressing the media said, "The crude oil prices internationally have reached the rock bottom during the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government but the petroleum prices have reached highest ever since Independence in the BJP government. During the Congress government, the petrol prices were lower as compared to the present prices in the country. Congress ensured that the upstream companies of oil and the Finance Ministry reduced the burden on the common man and did not let oil prices go beyond a certain point. But the central government doesn't believe in all that. The state government in Telangana has earned huge money by collecting VAT prices on petrol."

He also attacked the state government for charging high VAT on petroleum products and said that Congress will reduce the same, "The state government under Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) is charging the highest VAT charges on petroleum. The VAT charges in Karnataka, where Congress is in power are very less compared to Telangana. The burden should be reduced on common man but it has been increased by the TRS government."

He also alleged that caretaker Chief Minister of Telangana, K Chandrashekar Rao is anti-farmer and has not done enough to improve literacy rates of the state.