Petrol, Diesel to be up by 1 rupee to create Green Fund

In Maharashtra, petrol and diesel would be dearer by Rs 1 per litre.

But, there is an innovation behind it. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government has decided to increase VAT by Rs 1 on petrol and diesel to great a Green Fund.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who holds the finance and planning portfolios, said that the government will be able to raise Rs 1,800 crore at the end of the next fiscal year.

According to Pawar, from this additional collection, a special Green Fund would be created, which will be utilised by the government for conservation of the environment, specifically for projects related to sewage disposal and waste management.

Minutes after the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress tabled its maiden budget - that also coincided with 100 days in power - the BJP lashed out at the Thackeray-government.

The opposition BJP, however, has lashed out at the government. "This is not proper, it would out a burden to the common person," Leader of Opposition in Assembly Devendra Fadnavis said. His counterpart in the Council Praveen Darekar said that it would have a cascading effect and prices of essential commodities and other goods would rise.

Pawar, however, said that it was not so. "In the budget, we have given relief of over Rs 2,500 crore to the people," said Pawar, a nature lover like Thackeray. According to them, the Green Fund would expand in the times to come and it is for future generations.