AIZAWL — Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Thursday said that his cabinet has affirmed that prices of petrol and diesel, which were hiked on September 1, will not be reduced. The chief minister’s remark came amid protests by commercial vehicle owners, who demanded that the government revoke its order hiking prices of petrol and diesel. Petrol price has been hiked from INR 93.93 to INR 99.24 per litre, while diesel rate has been increased to INR 88.02 from INR 82.62 for a litre. Speaking to reporters in Aizawl, Lalduhoma said that the meeting of council of ministers held on Wednesday decided to continue with the existing prices of petrol and diesel. Lalduhoma claimed that the hike was for social infrastructure and road maintenance. He said that the government hiked VAT on petrol from 5.23 per cent to 10 per cent and on diesel from 16.36 per cent to 18 per cent. The CM said that the government has also imposed a new levy of INR 2 per litre on both diesel and petrol for social infrastructure and services cess, alongside an additional INR 2 per litre for road maintenance. He said that under social infrastructure and services cess, 25 per...