Mumbai : Congress state president Nana Patole has demanded from Union Transport and Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari that the toll levied on national highways in the state should be canceled. Patole has written a letter to Nitin Gadkari for this. The Central Government collects Road Infrastructure Cess and Agriculture Cess in advance from consumers buying petrol and diesel. Therefore, double taxes like toll and cess on petrol and diesel are being charged from the drivers traveling on the route. Nana Patole has demanded from Nitin Gadkari that this is loot of motorists and it should be stopped immediately and toll booths on all national highways of the state should be closed.
In the last five years in Maharashtra, state highways in several districts have been upgraded and declared as National Highways. The construction of some of these highways has been completed while the construction of some of the highways is still going on. Nana Patole said in his letter that before starting the use of this highway, toll has been imposed on this road by the National Highway Authority to recover the expenditure on road construction.
“During the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government at the Centre, when the decision to build the Golden Quadrilateral highway was taken, a cess of Re 1 per liter on petrol and diesel was introduced to recover the cost. The BJP government led by the Prime Minister After Narendra Modi came to the Centre, the road infrastructure cess was increased to Re 1 per litre. It was increased to Rs 18 per litre. Further, till November 4, 2021, the central government has levied a total of Re 1 40 paise. Excise duty , Rs 11 as special excise duty, Rs 18 as road infrastructure cess and Rs 2 50 paise as agriculture cess on a liter of petrol. 32 Rs 90 paise was being charged. Diesel Rs 80 excise duty 8 Special Excise Duty, Rs 18 Road Infrastructure Cess and 4 Agriculture Cess totaling Rs 31 80 paise per litre. Also, excise duty on petrol from November 4, 2021 to 22/May/2022. Total 27 including 40 paise, special excise duty Rs 11, road infras Rs 13 composition cess and Rs 2 50 paise agriculture cess A tax of 90 paise is collected at Rs. Whereas excise duty of 1 80 paise per liter on diesel, Rs 8 special excise duty, Rs 8 road infrastructure cess and 4 agriculture cess is being levied at a total rate of 21 80 paise per litre. Why is toll being charged again? This question has been raised by Patole.
“During the UPA government in 2011-12, the price of crude oil in the international market was $147 per barrel. At that time, excise duty of 9.56 paise and 3.48 paise per liter of petrol and diesel and Rs 1 road infrastructure cess was levied. Petrol was priced at Rs 72 and diesel was priced at Rs 58 per litre. Since the Modi government came to power, the price of crude oil had come down to $ 18. The average crude oil price for the last eight years was $ 52 per barrel. Road infrastructure cess has been increased by 1700 per cent. Still, why people are being robbed by imposing toll on Gadkari? Nana Patole asked in his letter.
Through these taxes and cess, the central government has so far deposited lakhs of crores of rupees. With this fund, the Government of India can do the work of works and maintenance of National Highways very well. Since most of the national highways in the state pass through rural areas, farmers have to pay tolls on these roads for agricultural work, sale of agricultural produce and other activities. Many national highways are incomplete, many roads are in a dilapidated condition, yet tolls are being collected from the drivers. The central government is doing double loot of the common man by imposing tax on petrol and diesel on one side and toll on the other. Nana Patole has demanded that this should be stopped immediately.
