Petrol pumps in Nagpur down shutters for a day in protest against excessive tax levies

Petrol pump dealers declared a day-long strike here on Monday in protest against the multiple taxes levied by the Maharashtra Government.

They called for an immediate change of Maharashtra's tax structure.

Harvinder Singh Bhatia, the president of the Vidarbha Petroleum Dealers' Association (VPDA), said, "We have held this protest not only for ourselves but in the favor of common people as well. The cost of petrol in Maharastra is the highest, especially in Nagpur, because of the high taxes levied by the Mahrashtra government. The difference between prices of Delhi and Nagpur is eleven rupees per liter. If the nation is one, then the rate of taxes should also be the same."

"When compared to the adjoining states of Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat, the difference in prices per liter (petrol and diesel) is of around five to six rupees. Our demand is that these taxes be reduced. To reduce on VAT is also an option. We are charged three per cent on local body tax (LBT), but fail to understand the structure of oil companies", he added.

Talking about the petrol pumps that were operational, he said, "All the private petrol pumps are shut except the ones owned and operated by the oil companies.