Jharkhand Petroleum Dealers Association launch state-wide awareness drive at different petrol pumps across the state, today. They began their drive Green View petrol pump of Dhanbad. They are aiming to demanding reduction of VAT by the state government on petrol prices, through this initiative.

The protestors led by Ashok Singh, President of Jharkhand Petroleum Dealers Association said, “We also protest against the sale of adulterated oil in the name of Biodiesel."

“We have been demanding action on our demand and had given a 10-day ultimatum to the government to consider our demand but since no action has been taken by the government on our demand, we have launched the mass awareness drive as per our pre scheduled programme from today which will continue for a week,” said Singh.

“We have been demanding reduction in VAT on diesel from 22% t0 17% since long as many of the states have already reduced the VAT due to which the rate of diesel in the state is much higher compared to several adjoining states,” said Singh and added that the higher VAT and consequent higher rate of diesel in the state is also leading to revenue loss to the state as many of the bulk purchasers of diesel are preferring purchasing diesel from adjoining states like Bengal leading to lesser sell of diesel here.

He also raised objections over huge pending arrears of government purchase of petrol and diesel lying with various petrol pumps of the state and said that the government also ensured payment of their dues as the arrears are badly affecting the financial health of the petroleum dealers.

Sarad Dudani, General Secretary of Jharkhand Petroleum Dealers Association while endorsing Dudani's statement, said, “We had asked for the constitution of a committee to look into various demands of petroleum including the probe with regard to sell of adulterated diesel in the name of bio diesel but the government didn’t pay heed to our demand compelling us to launch the week long mass awareness drive from today.”