By IANS,
Ranchi : The opposition Congress and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajantantrik (JVM-P) Thursday took to the streets to protest the state government’s decision to hike Value Added Tax (VAT) on diesel by 5.5 percent.
“Roll back VAT,” shouted protesters, a day after the Jharkhand cabinet hiked VAT on diesel from 14.5 percent to 20 percent. With this, the cost of diesel will register an increase of around Rs.2 per liter.
The state government will generate an additional Rs.150 crore per annum by this move.
“On the one hand, the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) is protesting the rising prices of essential commodities and on other hand, its own government in Jharkhand is hiking VAT on diesel. This is double standards of the BJP,” said Shailesh Sinha, general secretary of Congress.
The Petroleum Dealer Association (PDA) of Jharkhand has also decided to launch agitation against hike of VAT on Diesel.
“The state government argues that it will get additional revenue by hiking VAT on diesel but contrary to it, the sale of diesel in the state will be reduced,” said Ashok Kumar Singh, the president of PDA.
“In neighbouring states like Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal, the VAT on diesel are 18.36, 17 and 18 percent respectively. In Jharkhand, it has been hiked to 20 percent,” he said.