State Congress Committee president Nand Kumar Patel has said the government was levying a 25 per cent VAT on petrol and diesel in Chhattisgarh.
The petrol at Rs 75.28 per litre included Rs 15.06 as VAT and similarly, speed petrol at Rs 78.19 per litre was inclusive of Rs 15.64 as Value Added Tax. Also, diesel costing at Rs 51.04 a litre included Rs 11.21 as VAT, he mentioned.
Patel asked state Chief Minister Raman Singh to reduce the VAT to lower the price of petrol.
Around 80 per cent requirement of the petroleum products consumed in the country was being met through imports. The price of petroleum products depends upon the rate of crude oil in the international market, as also the value of rupee vis-a-vis US dollar.
The Chief Minister is well aware of these facts, but instead of reducing the VAT, he is trying to burden the masses, he alleged.