Dharamshala, Aug. 13 -- Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday said that even after imposing the widow and orphans cess, the diesel and petrol rates in Himachal are still lower than neighbouring states.

"When I compared diesel and petrol prices in Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand, I found that they were Rs.1.25 higher than in Himachal Pradesh. I then thought of imposing a cess for the welfare of widows and orphans, for which we have already passed a law. I am happy to say that even after this, our diesel and petrol prices are still 60-70 paise lower than those in Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana," Sukhu told reporters in Bilaspur.

The Himachal Pradesh government imposed a widow and orphan cess of 60 paise per litre on petrol a...