Petrol in Uttarakhand will now cost Rs 2.65 a litre more. The price hike follows the state government’s move to withdraw relief in the value added tax (VAT) in the face of October 10 Tehri Lok Sabha by-election, where Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna’s son Saket lost at the hustings.
“We have withdrawn the recent relief in VAT on the sale of petrol in Uttarakhand,” said Finance Secretary Radha Raturi. With this, petrol will cost Rs71.66 a liter in the hill state from on Wednesday.
However, the chief minister claimed even after withdrawing relief given in VAT on petrol price, the cost of petrol in Uttarakhand would remain less as compared to other states. Bahuguna said relief had been withdrawn only on petrol price and not on diesel.
“This is because VAT on petrol price is comparatively less than other states here. In Uttarakhand the VAT on petrol is 25 per cent whereas in UP it is 26.55 per cent, 30.25 per cent in Punjab and 28.75 per cent in Madhya Pradesh,” the chief minister said, adding, the withdrawal in relief would incur revenue of Rs80 crore per annum to the state government.
Opposition parties slammed the chief minister for punishing people after the defeat of his son, who lost to BJP’s Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah.
“We are going to raise this issue in the Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, and tell the people the true face of Congress,”said Ajya Bhatt, leader of the Opposition.
Bhatt also asked the government to immediately take the decision back.