Himachal levies 60p/litre fuel cess for orphan, widow welfare

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government has levied an ‘Orphan and Widow Cess’ at the rate of 60 paise per litre on petrol and high speed diesel at the point of first sale in the state.

The state government issued a notification in this regard on Tuesday night.

On March 23, the Himachal Assembly had passed HP Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2026 seeking levy of ‘Orphan and Widow Cess’ of up to Rs 5 per litre on petrol and high speed diesel.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had said the cess was levied to ensure a dedicated, stable and sustainable source of revenue for the effective implementation and strengthening of welfare measures for orphans and widows.