In Rajasthan too, the government can announce a reduction of state VAT on petrol and diesel today. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has called a cabinet meeting at 6 pm at the Chief Minister's residence. In which there will be a churn especially on reducing the value-added tax. The Chief Minister has said that sitting in the cabinet and the Council of Ministers, we will discuss giving relief in the prices of petrol and diesel. Whatever is possible, they will decide.
President of Rajasthan Petroleum Dealers Association, Sumit Bagai said that we want the rate of petrol and diesel in Rajasthan at par with Punjab. There is also a Congress government in Punjab. Hence VAT in Rajasthan should also be equal to that of Punjab. Punjab is also a neighboring state. At present, VAT is being levied at 36 percent on petrol and 26 percent on diesel in Rajasthan. To bring the prices at par with Punjab, the state government will have to reduce the value-added tax of 15-15 percent on both petrol and diesel. With this, Rajasthan will also have 21 percent VAT on petrol and 11 percent on diesel at par with Punjab.
Today the rate of petrol in Jalandhar, Punjab is Rs 94.95 a liter. While diesel is Rs 83.77 a liter. This will give a big relief to both the petroleum consumers and petrol pump operators of Rajasthan. The revenue loss that is expected to be incurred by the state government will be compensated by the consumption of more petrol and diesel. Today the transporters and vehicles going to other states are taking diesel-petrol. He will take it in Rajasthan. More vehicles will come to the state. Tourism will be motivated and the revenue of the government will also increase.
Not only in the neighboring states of the state but in all the states of the country, the rates of petroleum are less than Rajasthan. Due to which the BJP is continuously besieging the Gehlot government of the state. The Congress party has launched a public awareness campaign against inflation and the increased rates of petroleum in the country. But in Rajasthan, the price of petroleum is the highest under Congress's rule. The Congress party has had to come on the back foot on this issue. Therefore, there is a huge pressure on the Gehlot government to reduce the rate of petroleum. Along with this, the general public of the state wants that the price of petroleum in Rajasthan should be at par with the neighboring states.
In fact, more than 22 percent of the total revenue of Rajasthan comes from the VAT of petrol and diesel. By reducing VAT, the government is concerned about the financial burden on its exchequer and loss in revenue. The Chief Minister has said this publicly many times that the last time he reduced VAT by 2 percent in Rajasthan on 29 January 2021, there was a loss of 1000 crores in VAT revenue every year. Now the Central Government has reduced the excise duty by Rs 5 on petrol and Rs 10 on diesel, then VAT automatically reduced in Rajasthan too. Due to which the state has suffered an annual revenue loss of Rs 1800 crore.
