Rajasthan: Over 7,000 fuel pumps remain shut over high VAT rate

Around 7,000 fuel pumps were on a one-day strike on Saturday across Rajasthan due to the high VAT imposed on diesel and petrol.

The fuel pumps were shut from 6am to midnight on the same day. According to petrol pump owners, due to this strike, the government will lose Rs 34 crore revenue and Rs 150 crore turnover. The petrol pump association claimed that because of the high VAT, the sale of fuel in the state has reduced considerably as compared to the neighbouring states like Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and others.

Sunit Bagai, president, Rajasthan Petroleum Dealers Association, said, “The fuel pumps have just become a source of tax collection and we are asking that the VAT should be reduced so it is at par with the other states.

While on Saturday, it was a one-day strike, if the government does not take some constructive action then we will be forced to go on an indefinite strike from April 25 and in that we would try to mobilise the public as well. On Saturday, around 7,000 petrol pumps across Rajasthan were shut.”