Petroleum Minister: Petrol, diesel should go under GST

Jharsuguda (Odisha), Sept 17 Expressing worry over the continuous rise in fuel costs, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday said that petrol and diesel should go under the ambit of Goods and Services Tax (GST).

"I need petrol and diesel to go under the ambit of GST. The GST Council should take a decision on this. State governments are more powerful than the Centre in the GST Council meeting," Pradhan said.

He further asked Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to "reduce VAT on petrol and diesel like other state governments."

The minister included that "central government had just deducted extract obligation on oil and diesel a couple of months back."

Fuel costs keep on rising every day across India. In New Delhi, petroleum is presently being sold at Rs 82.06 for every litre (expanded by Rs 0.15 for each litre), while the cost of diesel has been climbed by Rs 0.6 for every litre to Rs 73.78 for every litre.

In Mumbai, the petrol cost is near contacting Rs 90 for each litre, while diesel is being sold at Rs 78.33 for every litre.

Pradhan was in Jharsuguda to review the preparations ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to inaugurate various infrastructure development projects in Odisha.