Shimla, March 23 -- The Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Monday passed the Himachal Pradesh Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2026, enabling the state government to levy a cess of up to Rs 5 per litre on petrol and high-speed diesel, despite strong opposition protests and a boycott of the proceedings.

The move by the Congress-led government in Himachal Pradesh aims to generate a dedicated revenue stream for welfare schemes targeting widows and orphaned children. The proposed levy, termed as an "orphan and widow cess," will be imposed at rates to be notified by the government, with an upper ceiling of Rs 5 per litre.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu defended the decision, stating that the government retains flexibility in fi...