The Petrol Pump Dealers Association Punjab ( PPDAP ), at a conference held here today, asked the Punjab Government to reduce VAT from petroleum prices. The Association led by Sukhminderpal Singh Grewal revealed that all neighbouring states had been charging less VAT than Punjab which is affecting the sale of petrol in Punjab. Paramjit Singh Doaba, president, PPDAP, informed that Haryana was charging 20.5 per cent, Himachal Pradesh was charging 24 per cent and Chandigarh had been charging 22 per cent VAT, whereas, Punjab had been charging 31 per cent VAT on petroleum. “More than 1,800 petrol pumps are directly affected form this practice. We assure that the revenue collections of the government will not be affected if it reduces VAT from petroleum,” Doaba said.Sukhmiderpal Singh Grewal National Secretary of Federation of All India Petroleum Traders, demanded to exempt the property tax on petrol pumps. The petrol pump owners opposed the move of the Forest Department of issuing notices to petrol pump owners to pay for land being used for entry of vehicles. Grewal said, “When new petrol pump is opened, a NOC from the Forest Department is obtained after paying for the land to be used at entry points. The move is unjustified.
The state government should intervene.”In this meeting Petrol pump Dealers Association Punjab State General Secretary Ashok Jain , Sukhdev Mehta Patiala , Legal Advisor Advocate Iqbal Singh , state Spokesperson Kasturi Lal Mintoo , Ranjit Singh Gandhi Ludhiana , Jarnail Singh Garhdiwala , Surjit Singh Soeta Sheed Bhagat Singh Nagar , State Vice President kamal Sharma Ludhiana , Gurkirpal Singh Chawla Daon Mohali , Kultar Singh Sandhwan Fridkot , Rajinder Kumar Cheema Sangrur , State Secretary Tejinder Singh Fathegarh Sahib , As Mittal Bhogpur Jalandhar , Gagan Budladha, Mansa , State Joint Secretary Taranjit Singh Bawa Ludhiana , Sukhwant Singh Dialpura Bathinda , Swaran Singh Khawjkey Ludhiana , Happy Kumar Barnala , Ram Lal Garg Sangrur , Gurmeet Singh Grewal Bhamian Kalan , Hardip Singh Shahi Tanda Hoshiarpur , Prem Sagar Nakodar , Kapurthala , Angrej Singh Bhawanigarh , Sangrur , Ganga Ram Sangol , Fathegarh Sahib , Kuldip Kumar , Sarbjit Singh Sabhi , Kulwinder Singh Jalandhar , Lakhwinder Singh Thind , Devinder Singh Dhapaee , Darshan Singh Katani, Ludhiana , Gurprit Singh Kochar , Raj Kumar Patran Sangrur , Jatinder Singh Chawla Phagwara , Gurpreet Singh Kochar , Advocate Bhupinder Kumar Barnala , Monty Sehgal , Rakesh Kumar Garg, Maur Rd., Rampuraphool , Rupinder Singh KSK Ghari Tarkhana, Machhiwara were present.