The state government has earned more than Rs 1,300 crore from the drought cess that is being collected from sale of petrol and diesel since October 2015.
The state government has earned more than Rs 1,300 crore from the drought cess that is being collected from sale of petrol and diesel since October 2015. Figures till March 2016 show that while the cess on diesel has earned Rs 930.6 crore, cess from petrol has collected Rs 406.70 crore.
The state cabinet on September 30, 2015 had taken a decision to apply a tax of Rs 2 on petrol and diesel to give relief to drought-affected regions of the state. Sudhir Mungantiwar’s finance department proposed it and the cabinet had approved it.
“As the state needs addition sources of revenue and more than half the state is reeling under severe drought since last three consecutive years, we had taken a decision to collect drought cess from the pocket of rich people who use four wheelers,” said Mr Mungantiwar.
He said the burden of the cess was never on shoulders of the common man and hence it was not opposed by the society. He agreed that the cess has earned more than Rs 1,300 crore since its inception.
The cess was implemented from October 1, 2015 across the state. Since October 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016, cess worth Rs 930.6 crore has been collected from cess on diesel and Rs 406.7 crore has been collected from cess on petrol.
RTI activist Dhirendra Patil sought this information from the finance department. He said, “The state has collected Rs 1,337 crore from drought cess but the department has refused to give information about where the amount was spent.” Mr Dhirendra, who is the son of former independent legislator from Amalner (Jalgaon), Krishibhushan Sahebrao Patil, demanded that the fund be utilised in providing free seeds and fertilisers to farmers from drought-prone areas.
