Uttarakhand CM tweet on VAT-cess cut on fuel creates confusion

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat today tweeted that his state has reduced VAT and cess on petrol and diesel by 2 per cent each to give relief to people but later removed the message even as finance minister Prakash Pant clarified no such decision has been taken.
The chief minister tweeted that "after the reduction by the Centre, today our government has also reduced 2 per cent cess and 2 per cent VAT on petrol and diesel; it will give relief to people".
However, when the state finance minister was contacted, he said no fresh decision on reduction of VAT or cess on petrol and diesel has been taken.

The CM's tweet was removed later.
"We had reduced 2 per cent VAT and one-and-a-half per cent cess on petrol and diesel soon after taking over to give relief to people. No such new decision has been taken," Pant clarified.
When asked about the chief minister's tweet in this regard, Pant said there might have been a "mistake".

To a question on the Centre's recent directive to the states to give relief to people by reducing VAT and cess on petrol and diesel, Pant said the state government had done that already.
"However, if there is scope for giving further relief we will consider it," he said.

The Centre last week cut excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre each to provide relief to consumers from three-month long relentless price hike.
Union oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan last week had asked states to follow the Centre's footsteps and reduce VAT on petrol and diesel.
Yesterday, three states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh had announced cut in VAT rates on the two fuels.