GST: Shiv Sena wants Devendra Fadnavis govt to compensate BMC for octroi loss, demands uniform fuel prices

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Wednesday demanded uniform fuel prices across the country and sought compensation for the local civic body post-GST roll-out on account of revenue loss due to abolition of octroi. [caption id=“attachment_3407086” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Uddhav Thackeray and Devendra Fadnavis[/caption] A delegation of senior Sena leaders, led by Maharashtra Minister for Industries Subhash Desai and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai called on Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis yesterday at the latter’s residence Varsha and raised a host of issues. The delegation demanded that the BJP-led government compensate the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on account of scrapping of octroi after the Goods and Services Tax (GST) comes into effect, a party leader present at the meeting said today. The Sena team maintained that there should be uniform prices of fuel across the country, he said. Yesterday, Sena president Uddhav Thackeray had slammed the Centre over high prices of petrol and diesel in the country. Speaking to reporters, Thackeray had said prices of petrol and diesel have fallen all over the world, but the same has not happened in the country. Referring to the impending imposition of GST, he said if uniform taxation is going to be introduced, then prices of petrol and diesel should be uniform all over the country. Thackeray said states levy taxes on petrol and diesel as per their convenience, leading to a rise in their prices. “Prices of petrol and diesel in Mumbai are among the highest in the country and this was wrong,” he said. The Sena delegation demanded that the state allocate funds to the BMC over the next five years on account of scrapping of octroi, which was a key source of revenue for the civic body. The Sena members said post-abolition of octroi the BMC is set to lose revenue of about Rs 7,000 crore annually, the party leader said.