PANAJI
Goa government has announced an increase in the Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel, effective from June 22. As a result, petrol prices will rise by Rs 1 per litre while diesel prices will see 35 paise per litre increase.
Goa is the second State after Karnataka to hike fuel prices this year, incidentally after the Lok Sabha elections. The government attributes the hike to adjustments in the sales tax on petroleum products.
The Finance Department's notification dated June 20, Thursday has sparked controversy with Opposition leaders slamming the government for imposing additional financial burdens on people.
“Lok Sabha elections over and insensitive BJP government increased VAT on fuel. The government wants to break the backbone of the common people. Recently they hiked the power tariff; today there is a hike in fuel prices. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant must stop wasteful expenditure on events and adopt austerity measures,” Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao said while demanding to roll back the hike.
The Congress, he warned, will launch a protest if the government does not roll back this hike.
The Goa Forward Party also pointed out alleged wasteful expenditure and failure to manage the State’s economy. “The hike in fuel prices clearly reflects their failure to manage the state’s economy efficiently.
Despite having the potential to boost Tourism industry and mining, the Goa government has shown incompetence in leveraging these sectors for economic growth,” GFP General Secretary (Org) Durgadas Kamat said.
“Instead wasteful expenditure has plagued every department…the burden has unfairly shifted to citizens.”
