​​​Surcharge continues to makes fuel costlier in Sambhajinagar

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Even as the beautification tax continues to make fuel costlier in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar as compared to other cities, the municipal corporation has not received a single penny towards such additional surcharge levied by the govt.With a series of hikes in prices of petrol and diesel in quick succession, citizens of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar demand scrapping of additional taxation on fuel.“It is unjust to levy beautification tax on fuel in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. It is like daylight robbery for the citizens,” Yogesh Dharashivkar, a private professional, said.Around 3% and 2% beautification tax was introduced on petrol and diesel respectively in 2008 and the practice continues till today.According to fuel retailers, even many govt officials and elected representatives are unaware of extra taxation on fuel in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.“Even civic officials admit that the money charged does not get transferred to the municipal corporation. Then the question arises where does this money go and what sort of beatification has been done by collecting extra money from buyers,” a fuel retailer said, preferring anonymity.Notably, the beautification tax is levied by fuel outlets situated within the municipal limits. “The prices of fuel in fringe areas are lesser as compared to the city limits. It leads to loss of business as many people buy fuel from fringe areas,” said another retailer.With the latest hike in fuel prices, petrol was sold at Rs112.88 per litre in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and diesel was priced at Rs99.5 per litre on Monday. The prices of fuel are costlier than other metro cities including Pune (Petrol: Rs111.48, diesel: Rs 98.5) and Mumbai (Petrol: Rs111.12, diesel: Rs 97.78), as per official portal of the BPCL.District guardian minister Sanjay Shirsat could not be reached for his comments.