Rates of petrol, diesel cheaper in Chhattisgarh than in other states

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], February 18 (ANI): While there are protests in most parts of the country against the steep hike in fuel prices, in Chhattisgarh the rates of petrol and diesel are cheaper by Rs 12 and Rs 4 compared to its neighbouring states.
The cheaper rates are due to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel-led government's decision to have the Value Added Tax (VAT) rate lower than other states.
Presently, the State Tax or VAT rate in Chhattisgarh is 25 per cent + Rs 2 per litre on petrol and 25 per cent + Re 1 per litre on diesel. The petrol price in the Raipur district is Rs 87.28 per litre and the diesel price is Rs 85.66 per litre in the Raipur district, whereas the petrol price in the Gondia district of Maharashtra state is Rs 96.07 per litre and diesel price there is Rs 86.31 per litre.
Likewise, in the Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh, petrol price is Rs 99.07 per litre and diesel price is Rs 89.55 per litre. In the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, petrol price is Rs 87.76 per litre and diesel price is Rs 84.24 per litre.
In Simdega of Jharkhand, petrol price is Rs 87.81 per litre and diesel price is Rs 85.19 per litre. In Bargadh of Odisha state, petrol price is Rs 90.64 per litre and diesel price is 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 is Rs 28.66, on which the Central Government imposes central excise of Rs 31.83, whereas the Chhattisgarh Government imposes only Rs 16.12 as VAT. (ANI)