Summary:
The break-up of figures shows that government earned Rs 3,338.34 crore VAT on petrol and Rs 7,430.50 crore on diesel in 2017-18. The government collected Rs 2,106 crore as cess on petrol and diesel in 2017-18, and Rs 1,877 crore in 2018-19. The state government collected more than Rs 26,438 crore as VAT and other levies on petrol, diesel and gas, in the last two financial years. The collection was robust even though the government lowered VAT on the 2 fuels from 20% to 17% in October. Deputy CM Nitin Patel, who also holds finance portfolio, said in a written reply in the House that the state collected Rs 12,597 crore as VAT and CST on petrol, diesel, CNG and PNG, in 2017-18, and Rs 9,858 crore in the first nine months of 2018-19..