Shimla, March 20 -- The Himachal Pradesh government has proposed an 'Orphan and Widow Cess' on petrol and high-speed diesel to generate dedicated funds for social welfare schemes.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who also holds the finance portfolio, introduced the 'Himachal Pradesh Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2026' to amend the existing VAT framework and establish a sustainable funding mechanism for the welfare of orphans and widows.
The Chief Minister said the initiative aims to provide financial assistance and strengthen welfare schemes for economically weaker orphans and widows. He emphasized that a stable revenue stream is necessary for the effective implementation of such programmes.
The Bill proposes inserting a new Se...