Sangli, May 28 (IANS) In light of the prevailing economic hardships, senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) and former State Finance Minister, Jayant Patil, on Thursday urged the Maharashtra government to prioritise public interest by immediately waiving the Value Added Tax (VAT) and surcharges on petrol and diesel. Patil made this demand through an official letter addressed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Expressing deep concern over the situation, Patil stated that the continuous hike in fuel prices has broken the back of the common man, making immediate relief an absolute necessity.

In his letter to Chief Minister Fadnavis, Patil highlighted that the ongoing war in the Gulf countries is putting immense strain on the economic stability of both India and Maharashtra.

“Inflation has skyrocketed; the prices of edible oil, vegetables, and essential commodities have witnessed a massive surge, directly impacting the common man. To make matters worse, the skyrocketing prices of petrol and diesel are adding fuel to the fire,” Patil noted.

Criticising the Union government, Patil pointed out that fuel prices are being hiked repeatedly. “Petrol prices have gone up by Rs 2.61 per litre, while diesel prices have increased by Rs 2.71 per litre. This marks the fourth consecutive price hike since May 15. Currently, petrol is retailing at Rs 111.12 per litre in Mumbai, while diesel stands at Rs 96.86 per litre,” he said.

Patil urged CM Fadnavis to take proactive leadership in this hour of crisis to provide much-needed respite to citizens. Detailing the current tax structure, he mentioned that the state government levies VAT and surcharges on fuel across the entire state, including Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai.

Patil’s demand comes when CM Fadnavis on Tuesday noted a sharp rise in regional retail fuel consumption compared to standard seasonal trends, emphasising that the state’s Food and Civil Supplies and Home Departments are jointly monitoring supply distribution pipelines.

The state has expanded petrol distribution by 23 per cent and diesel by 52 per cent to stabilise market demand. He stated that there seems to be hoarding of fuel which is happening that is being monitored. He further added that there is also a possibility of diversion of fuel for commercial use, that is also being looked into.

Addressing the media after the weekly Cabinet meeting, he said specific regions are recording distinct surges, with Akola showing an increase of 154 per cent and several districts — including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Beed, Bhandara, Buldhana, Gondia, and Hingoli — reporting up to a 70 per cent climb in regular market consumption.

“The administration is analysing variations between commercial and retail fuel supply segments to verify that retail resources are effectively reaching agricultural and consumer lines,” he said.

–IANS

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