SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Dec 13: The Jharkhand Petroleum Dealers Association (JPDA) has called 24 hours closure of all refilling centres (petrol pumps) of the state on December 21 demanding 5% slash of value-added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel.
While starting a week-long demonstration ( December 13 to 19) for reducing VAT from 22% to 17% at all 24 districts of the state today, the JPDA said that dealers of Jharkhand would compel to extend closure of petrol pumps for an indefinite period if the government did not take a decision after December 21 strike.
JPDA state president Ashok Kumar Singh while leading the demonstration at Dhanbad said that petrol pumps of the city are closing because of heavy payment which is due from the government while highway-based refilling centres are facing closure owing to high VAT in comparison to neighboring states.
“Due to high VAT on petrol and diesel, not only dealers but also the state government faces heavy revenue loss as sales have come down sharply. Especially in the last eight months, April to November, sale of diesel petrol in Jharkhand has registered a reduction of 11,000 litres per month after the government withdrew Rs 2.5 rebate,” said Ashok Kumar Singh.
The JPDA president claimed that the last financial year sale of petrol and diesel in the state was 1.26 lakh kilo litre but after withdrawal of 2.5 rupees rebate, the sale came down to 1.15 lakh kilo litre per month. Government faced a Rs. 231 crore loss in eight months.“Even though the government reduces VAT to 17% from 22% it would get Rs 5 to Rs 6 crores revenue.
PDSA secretary Sharad Dudani said that the state government has not cleared the petrol pumps for the last six months. Even due to election and Corona pandemic is pending pushing the refilling centres on verge of closure.
Coalfield Petroleum Dealers Association general secretary Sanjeev Rana said that diesel in Uttar Pradesh is Rs 6 cheaper in Uttar Pradesh and Rs 3 in Bengal resulting in vehicles of inter-state highway not refilling in the state resulting in sales falling sharply.
