'Lower VAT on fuel can revive aviation sector'

Agartala: A shortage of flights and the declining number of operators in the Tripura aviation sector could be addressed by a reduction in the Value Added Tax (VAT) on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), Congress said on Sunday.
"Tripura charges 18% VAT on ATF, which operators are not too happy about. To bring in more flights, the West Bengal government has exempted the surcharge on ATF at Bagdogra airport for three years now.Now, more than 25 flights land there daily," president of the Tripura unit of Congress Birajit Sinha said on Sunday. He added, "I am sure that once ATF surcharge is brought down, operators will gain interest in the Agartala sector."
In the past few months, the Congress state president said, the daily aviation fleet has gone down from 28 to eight, adding that even for flights that are available, the fares are exorbitant. "The price of air tickets from Agartala to Guwahati has shot up to Rs 10,000, Kolkata flights cost nearly Rs 7,000 and Delhi flights Rs 19,000 ... We want immediate action from the state government," he added.
On Saturday, four frontal organizations of CPM met leader of the opposition and former CM Manik Sarkar and urged him to intervene. "The people voted BJP to power believing their promises. But it seems it has been taking strides backwards for the past eight months," CPM leader Pabitra Kar said.