Journalism of Courage
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday promised that if his party is voted to power it will bring petrol and diesel within the ambit of the GST and will try and reduce rising prices.
“To reduce this burden, the Congress party will bring petrol and diesel within the ambit of the GST and will try and reduce the increasing prices,” Gandhi said in a Facebook post.
He added the Congress believes that rising prices have put a heavy burden on the life of the common man.
When the government implemented the GST regime in 2017, petroleum products were excluded, along with alcohol, real estate and power.
In the current structure, both the central and state governments levy a tax on petrol, diesel, crude, and natural gas. The Centre charges excise duty, while each state has its own Value Added Tax (VAT). Added to these are the dealer commissions, all of which inflates the price that consumers pay at the retail pumps.
Bringing petroleum products under GST would mean a single rate — 18% or 28% — in place of excise duty and state VAT, and lower pump prices
