Instead of petrol, diesel, Maharashtra govt slashes VAT on liquor

Instead of reducing tax on petrol and diesel, the Maharashtra government has announced a reduction in the tax on liquor. Uddhav Thackeray government has reduced the special tax on liquor from 300 per cent to 150 per cent.

Notably, after the Modi government announced a reduction in the VAT on petrol and diesel, several state governments also followed the suit and slashed VAT on fuels. The people of Maharashtra also hoped that the Uddhav Thackeray government would reduce the VAT on petrol and diesel for them too, but the interest of the government was more in making liquor cheaper.

The government has reduced VAT rates for those who consume alcohol instead of the common people, who are already troubled by the sky-high prices of petrol and diesel.

Sensing the displeasure of the people, the Maharashtra government is now clarifying that it has taken this step to stop the smuggling of liquor from other states. Maharashtra Congress state president Nana Patole also supported the government and said that due to high VAT on liquor in Maharashtra, smuggling of liquor from other states had increased. To control it, VAT on liquor in the state has been brought at the level of other states.

At the same time, BJP has questioned the intention of the government regarding this issue. BJP state president Chandrakant Dada Patil asked that when it came to giving exemption to the people in the lockdown, the government first opened liquor shops. At the same time, instead of reducing VAT on petrol and diesel, it has been announced to reduce tax on liquor. Which public-friendly policy of the government is this? he asked.

It may be noted that the Maharashtra government levies Rs 29.25 per litre VAT on petrol and Rs 20.78 per litre on diesel, due to which the price of petrol in Mumbai has reached around Rs 110 per litre and the price of diesel is around Rs 95 per litre.

Source : DNA India