Striking petro dealers meet CM

The state government will come out with a solution which will not only ensure that the interests of petroleum product producers are safe guarded but which also protects the state's revenues, in the Cabinet meeting on the 24th, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said, while appealing to the petrol dealers to withdraw their no purchase agitation.

This was an assurance given by Deshmukh to the delegation of Federation of All Maharashtra Petrol Dealer's Association, which met him at state guest house Sahyandri on Tuesday evening.

After the meeting the FAMPEDA delegation assured they would suspend their agitation, said sources in the chief minister's office. However any decision on this issue will be taken only after our executive committee approves it they clarified to chief minister, sources said. The meeting is likely to take place later in the night.

The chief minister asked the delegation to hold the meeting with the finance minister Jayant Patil on Wednesday to discuss various options on the issue.

And after having discussion with petroleum dealers, finance minister will come up with the proposal before the cabinet, which is meeting on 24th, he told the FAMPEDA delegation.

It may be recalled that petroleum dealers from the state have launched no purchase agitation to reduce the sales tax on petroleum products to 24 per cent since Monday.

Maharashtra imposes 33 per cent sales tax on diesel and 28 per cent on petrol while neighbouring states such as Gujarat levies 23.5 per cent and 26 per cent and Goa 21 per cent and 22 per cent on the two transport fuels respectively.

The petrol pump owner complain this results in heavy losses of business to them as many vehicles who ply on interstate routes or those who live in bordering areas of the state fill up their vehicle's tanks in the neighbouring state.

However despite repeated attempts, to find out whether Petrol dealers agreed to withdrew the agitation as appealed by the chief minister, FAMPEDA president Ravi Shinde could not be reached.