Kerala Budget: Kerala’s Vijayan government has announced the imposition of Social Security Cess on petrol, diesel and liquor, in such a situation, all this may become expensive in the coming days. Presenting the budget, Finance Minister KN Balagopal said that a social security cess of Rs 20 will be levied on every bottle of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) having a price (MRP) between Rs 500 and Rs 999. proposed to be installed. At the same time, a cess will be levied at the rate of Rs 40 on a bottle with MRP above Rs 1,000. This is expected to generate an additional revenue of Rs 750 crore to the Social Security Initial Fund, he said.
What did the Finance Minister say?
Finance Minister KN Balagopal said that in the budget for the next financial year, it has been proposed to impose social security cess at the rate of two rupees per liter on the sale of petrol and diesel.
He also said that in order to reduce air pollution and promote public transport, one-time tax on electric motor cabs and electric tourist motor cabs has been reduced to five percent of the purchase price. N Balagopal claimed that the state is expected to get an additional revenue of Rs 400 crore.
‘Hiding financial position’
Congress leader V D Satheesan said the Left government was hiding the fragile financial condition of the state and had increased the tax burden on the people. He said, “The budget hides the fragile financial condition of the state government and the provisions made in it amount to looting the public. With the decision to impose cess on liquor, more number of people will turn to drugs. The budget was presented without proper study.
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