New Delhi, Feb 19 (IANS): Amid rising fuel prices across the country, petrol in Chhattisgarh is Rs 12 cheaper a litre and diesel Rs 4 cheaper per litre, as compared to the other neighbouring states.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel says that the reason is his government's decision to have a VAT rate lower than the neighbouring states.

Presently, the VAT rate on transport fuels in Chhattisgarh is 25 per cent plus Rs 2 per litre on petrol and 25 percent-plus Re 1 per litre on diesel.

Petrol price in Raipur district is Rs 87.28 per litre and diesel prices Rs 85.66 per litre in Raipur district, whereas petrol price in Gondia district of Maharashtra is Rs 96.07 per litre and diesel price Rs 86.31 per litre. Likewise in Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh, the petrol price is Rs 99.07 per litre and diesel price Rs 89.55 per litre. In Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, the petrol price is Rs 87.76 per litre and diesel price Rs 84.24 per litre.

In Simdega of Jharkhand, the petrol price is Rs 87.81 per litre and diesel price Rs 85.19 per litre. In Bargarh of Odisha, the petrol price is Rs 90.64 per litre and diesel price Rs 87.34 per litre.

The base price of petrol is Rs 19.48 per litre, on which the Central government imposes central excise of Rs 31.98, whereas the Chhattisgarh government imposes VAT of Rs 15.11.

Similarly, the base price of diesel of Rs 28.66, on which the Centre imposes central excise of Rs 31.83, whereas Chhattisgarh imposes only Rs 16.12 as VAT.