‘PETROL, DIESEL SHOULD BE IN GST NET; STATE MUST CUT TAX’

: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP from Anandpur Sahib, Prem Singh Chandumajra, has called for the Union government to bring petrol and diesel under the goods and services tax (GST) regime and urged the Congress government in Punjab to cut value-added tax(VAT) on these products by half to control the rise in prices.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, he said a delegation of SAD MPs will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the GST demand next week. He added, “Keeping in view the spiraling retail prices of petrol and diesel that have hit the common consumer hard, immediate relief is a must. Our party will press for this solution despite the fact that it might harm resource mobilisation by the states as the situation has reached a point when some hard decisions have to be taken.”

“Moreover,” he said, “the decrease in prices of petrol and diesel will have multiplier effect on the economy and give boost to growth and in turn generate higher revenue.”

He noted that Punjab Congress has planned a protest against the hight prices of petroleum products “while the record of its own government in the state on this issue is dismal”. He pointed out that the Capt Amarinder Singh government “refused to announce proportionate cut in VAT when the Centre decided to provide 8% relief on duty on petroleum products some time back”. He asserted that the Congress in Punjab “has no moral right” to stage demonstrations as “its own government has betrayed people”.

He also came down heavily on the state government over employment generation and said “only a few privileged ones had got jobs”.

DELEGATION OF AKALI DAL’S MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT TO MEET PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI WITH DEMAND NEXT WEEK