Sukhbir tells CM not to penalize farmers, industry & transport sectors by refusing to reduce VAT on diesel

Chandigarh, Nov 7 (UNI) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday asked Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi to tell Punjabis why he was penalizing farmers, industry and the transport sector by refusing to reduce State VAT on diesel by Rs ten per liter as done in the case of petrol.

In a statement here, the SAD chief said farmers as well as the industrial and transport sectors also deserved an appropriate relief and it was shocking that the chief minister had not addressed their concerns while taking a decision on reduction of VAT on petroleum products.
Mr Badal asked the Chief Minister to review the reduction of State VAT on diesel immediately and reduce it further to give a relief of Rs 10 per liter. He said farmers were already suffering due to the government’s failure to waive off their loans as well as give compensation to cotton growers whose crops had been destroyed by pink boll worm attack. He said farmers were also being forced to pay more for DAP due to black marketing of the fertilizer.
The SAD President said similarly the industrial and transport sectors had been most affected due to the Covid pandemic and some relief should be extended to them to ensure their revival.