Amid the rising fuel prices across the country, Chhattisgarh has it under control as petrol is cheaper by Rs 12 and diesel by Rs 4 in the state than in other states.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel says that the reason is his government’s decision to have a VAT rate lower than the neighbouring states. At present, the VAT rate for transport fuels in Chhattisgarh is 25% plus Rs 2 per litre on petrol and 25% plus Re 1 per litre on diesel.
In the Raipur district, petrol is sold at Rs 87.28 per litre and diesel at Rs 85.66 per litre.
Compared to this, the petrol price in the Gondia district of Maharashtra is Rs 96.07 per litre and diesel Rs 86.31 per litre. Likewise in the Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh, petrol is being sold at Rs 99.07 per litre and diesel Rs 89.55/litre. In the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, the petrol price is Rs 87.76 per litre and diesel Rs 84.24 per litre.
In Simdega of Jharkhand, the petrol price is Rs 87.81 per litre and diesel price Rs 85.19 per litre. In Bargarh of Odisha, the petrol price is Rs 90.64 per litre and diesel price Rs 87.34 per litre.
The base price of petrol is Rs 19.48 per litre, on which the Central government imposes central excise of Rs 31.98, whereas the Chhattisgarh government imposes VAT of Rs 15.11.
Similarly, the base price of diesel of Rs 28.66, on which the Centre imposes central excise of Rs 31.83, whereas Chhattisgarh imposes only Rs 16.12 as VAT.
