In the ongoing monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature, Finance Minister Ajit Pawar presented the additional budget today. There is promising news for the common man, as the budget includes a provision to standardize the value-added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel across the state. This move is expected to bring relief to both the general public and the industry and trade sectors.
To standardize the value-added tax on petrol and diesel across Maharashtra, it has been proposed to reduce the tax on diesel in the municipal areas of Brihanmumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai from the current 24 percent to 21 percent. Additionally, the tax on petrol is proposed to increase from the current rate of 26 percent, equivalent to Rs 5.12 per litre, to Rs 25 per litre. As a result, the price of petrol in Mumbai, Thane, and Navi Mumbai municipal areas will decrease by approximately 65 paise per litre, and the price of diesel will decrease by about Rs 2.7 per litre.
While presenting the Budget today, Finance Minister Ajit Pawar announced several significant schemes for farmers. These include the "Village Warehouse Scheme," an allocation of Rs 100 crore for artificial intelligence research in agriculture, revised approval for 108 irrigation projects, bamboo plantation on 10,000 hectares of private land, and the provision of solar power pumps upon request.