Maharashtra has a huge multi-modal transportation system. The road transportation in the state is operated by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), which provides economical public road transport service. The state-run buses called State Transport (ST) are the preferred mode of transport for most of the people residing in various cities and districts in the state. Private transport in the state is composed of taxis, auto rickshaws and private vehicles.
Factors Affecting Diesel Rate in Maharashtra
Diesel price in Maharashtra, just like in other Indian states, fluctuates on a daily basis. There are many components that factor into diesel pricing in India. While few of them affect diesel cost on a daily basis, others affect it once in a while.
Factors that affect diesel price on a daily basis are the international crude oil prices and the US dollar to Indian rupee currency exchange rate.
India imports 70% of its oil requirements from other countries. Hence, diesel prices in India are directly linked to the global crude oil prices. As the crude oil prices are volatile in nature and change every day, diesel prices in India are updated accordingly.
State Taxes and Diesel Price in Maharashtra
As discussed earlier, state taxes form a major portion of diesel price in Maharashtra. Currently, the state government levies 28.41% VAT on a litre of diesel in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, and Thane and in rest of the state it charges 25.38%.
How often Diesel Price are Revised in Maharashtra
Diesel prices in Maharashtra, similar to rest of the states, are being revised on a daily basis. The daily revision of diesel prices was introduced in June 2017 to bring transparency in the fuel pricing in India.
Effect of GST on Maharashtra Diesel Price
GST or the goods and services tax was introduced in India in July 2017 to make the taxew uniform across all the Indian states. Following the implementation of the GST regime, the prices of many of the products and services got affected both positively and negatively. However, the price diesel remain unchanged as diesel along with other fuels is currently kept outside GST. Meaning, the commodities are still being taxed as per the old tax regime, where state and central government levy various taxes.