Deora asks petro dealers to end stir

Petroleum minister Murli Deora has appealed to petrol pump dealers in Maharashtra to call off their indefinite strike, which started on Monday.

Petrol pump dealers in the state are protesting the high sales tax levied by the state on auto fuels, which, they claimed, was driving business to other states.

Sales tax in Maharashtra is the highest in the country with the state charging 34% sales tax on diesel.

Deora said the Central government is sympathetic to the dealers' demands for reduction in sales tax rates, and the issue has been raised with the Maharashtra government.

"I strongly appeal to the dealers to immediately call off their strike," he said.

Deora has also facilitated a meeting between representatives of retail outlet dealers of Maharashtra with the chief minister on this issue.