SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad Dec 17: Senior Congress leader and president of Jharkhand Petroleum Dealers Association (JPDA) Ashok Singh met Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi on Saturday and submitted a memorandum for reducing VAT on petrol, and diesel in the state as per the party’s poll promise.
Ashok Singh told the national president that in the 2019 Jharkhand Assembly election, the party in its manifesto had promised to reduce VAT on petrol-diesel if voted to power. But after forming the government in the state, the promise was not fulfilled.
“Despite repeated requests to reduce VAT on fuel, the Jharkhand government has not taken cognizance of it so far. Due to high VAT, the state faces heavy revenue loss and people of the state have to purchase at a high rate,” said Ashok Singh to the national president in his memorandum.
The JPDA president said that on February 24, 2015, the Raghubar Das-led government had imposed 22% VAT on petrol and diesel but on the request of the association, the government gave a rebate of Rs 2.5 per litre in 2018 which gave a massive relaxation to the people of Jharkhand. “But unfortunately, the present government withdrew the rebate with installing in power,” he said.
Ashok Singh claimed that the CM, state Congress president, the-then Jharkhand in-charge RPN Singh, Avinash Pande and other senior leaders of state were also made aware of the poll manifesto but no initiative was taken in this direction.
“Ironically, our government in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan reduced the VAT on petrol and diesel but Jharkhand did not,” he said.
The JPDA president said that in Jharkhand, the VAT on petrol and diesel is highest at 22% (which comes to Rs 12.50 per litre) but at the same time in Bihar it is 16.37% (Rs12.33), in Uttar Pradesh it is 17.8% (Rs 10.41) and in Bengal it is 17% (Rs 7.80).
Ashok Singh said since VAT in Bengal is less than Jharkhand, the sale of petrol and diesel has reduced in the state which causes heavy revenue loss. “Reduction in VAT would trigger an increase in sales in the state and enhance revenue too,” he claimed.
