Rajasthan sets up committee to look into petroleum dealers problems

Jaipur, Jun 19 (UNI) The Rajasthan government has decided to constitute a committee under the chairmanship of state Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Kirori Lal Meena to look into the problems related to petrol and diesel retail outlets according to official sources.

The official sources told UNI here that the decision to constitute the committee comes in the wake of petroleum dealers threat to go on an indefinite strike from today.

Rajasthan Petroleum Dealers Association have been demanding parity in taxes with other neighbouring states.

Rajasthan Petroleum Dealers Association president Suneet Bagai said as the government has set up the committee, the strke has been deferred.

''We are meeting again on August 14 and would decide our future course of action,'' he added.

''We want the committee to come out with an amicable solution regarding parity of sales tax with other states and also the dual tax policy and bring lubricants under composition scheme. This will help the end consumers as it is extremely difficult to prepare VAT invoice for petrol qnd diesel customers as they buy lubricants, yellow cloth, distiled water alongwith petrol and diesel, so these things should also be included in composition tax scheme and they should not be part of VAT,'' Mr Bagai added.

The other members of the committee include the Chairman, Public Grievances Disposal Committee S N Gupta, the Additional Chief Secretary (Development), Principal Secretary Food and Civil Supplies, Principal Secretary Finance and Planning, Secretary and Commissioner Transport Department.

The Additional Food Commissioner will be the Secretary of the Committee.

The committee would examine all the problems of retail outlets and deliberate with the representatives of petrol and diesel traders associations and other affected parties.

The committee has been directed to present its report to the state government on July 30.

UNI XC PA HT1918