BENGALURU, 15 JUNE

Karnataka government on Saturday hiked sales tax on fuel which will make petrol and diesel costlier. According to official sources, petrol will now go up by Rs 3 and diesel by Rs 3.5 per litre.

The new tax rates show an increase in sales tax on petrol from 25.92 per cent to 29.84 per cent and on diesel from 14.3 per cent to 18.4 per cent. This adjustment is intended to boost state revenue but is expected to affect various sectors by increasing transportation and goods distribution costs, which may ultimately impact consumers.

This notification shall come into force with immediate effect, it said. The decision comes days after the Lok Sabha poll results, in which NDA got 19 out of 28 seats in Karnataka, with BJP winning 17 and JD(S) with 2. The ruling Congress in the State has won nine seats.

According to sources, the hike is expected to generate Rs 2,500-Rs 2,800 crore during the financial year.

Hitting out at the government, Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra urged the chief minister to roll back the hike in petrol and diesel prices, as he threatened a state wide protest by the party on Monday, at all district centres.

Taking to X, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka lashed out at the Congress government’s move to increase the price. He said, “This anti-people Congress government is going to take revenge for Kannadigas voting for BJP in the Lok Sabha elections. Having emptied the state coffers with unscientific guarantees of congress the government is going to fill the treasury by taxing the Kannadigas. The Chief Minister Siddaramaiah government has issued an order to increase the tax on petrol and diesel, increasing the price of petrol to Rs 3 and diesel to Rs 3.50 in the state. The increase has cut into the public's pocket.” Salar News/PTI