Guwahati/Agartala, Nov 4 (TIWN) Six of the eight northeastern states -- Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Mizoram - announced additional cuts (VAT) in petrol and diesel prices after the Centre reduced excise duty on them by Rs 5 and Rs 10 on the eve of Diwali, in a bid to offer relief to people reeling under the impact of spiralling fuel prices.

However, the petrol pumps in different northeastern states are taking the new prices of the transport fuel as per the centre's excise duty slash, but the state governments' additional reductions are not yet effected due to lack of appropriate official communications.  An official of Indian Oil Corporation said, with the Centre and state governments' reduction of taxes the rate of petrol in the northeastern states would be around Rs 100 to Rs 104 and diesel Rs 86 to Rs 90. 

"However the prices of petrol and diesel in the different locations of the northeastern states would vary depending on the varied transport charges," the IOCL official told on condition of anonymity.  Of six of the eight northeastern states which announced reduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) by Rs 7 per litre, four states are ruled by the BJP Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. Mizoram, governed by the Mizo National Front (MNF) and Sikkim led by Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), both are partners of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), also reduced the VAT on petrol and diesel by Rs 7 per litre.