VAT on petrol slashed in Delhi budget

Petrol will be cheaper by Rs 1.26 and will now cost Rs 71.92 a litre after the cut which had risen to Rs 73.18 after last week`s hike. The CNG price will see an increase of Rs 1.77 from Rs 35.45 per kg which may trigger demand for hike in bus, taxi and auto fares besides having an impact on transportation cost of goods.

Hairpins, hairclips, safety pins, saree falls, kirpans, sacred threads, tricycles geometry boxes, crayons and pencil sharpners will also be cheaper with the budget removing or reducing VAT on them. The prices of UPS used for computers will go up as VAT on them has been hiked from five per cent to 12.5 per cent.

The Rs 33,436 crore budget, presented in the Delhi assembly by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, has its dose of populist measures with announcement of a number of social welfare schemes which are aimed at winning back support of voters ahead of next year`s assembly polls. Other articles which get VAT exemption or slashing of rates include blood filters.