In the latest move, the Himachal Pradesh government has imposed a new Orphan and Widow Cess of 60 paise per litre on petrol and high speed diesel. Orphan and Widow Cess is a new levy introduced by Himachal Pradesh under an amendment to its VAT law. Bill was passed by the Himachal Pradesh Assembly in March 2026 amid opposition protests and a BJP walkout. Also, such a shift could hurt fuel sales within Himachal Pradesh and affect the revenue expected from the new levy. The move comes when Himachal Pradesh is already dealing with persistent fiscal pressure.