Petrol pump lying vacant in Chhakatla village, bordering Madhya Pradesh.
Highlights
Tax on petroleum products is high in Madhya Pradesh. People are going to Gujarat to buy cheap fuel. Petrol pumps in border areas are deserted.
Naiduniya News, Alirajpur. The pump operators near the Gujarat border are facing the brunt of the tax on petroleum products in Madhya Pradesh. The prices in Madhya Pradesh have become so high that now people here prefer to fill petrol and diesel in bulk in Gujarat itself. 
Due to this, there is silence at the petrol pumps in the border areas of the district including Chhakatla, Chandpur, Kattiwada, Chandrashekhar Azadnagar. On the other hand, there is a huge crowd at the pumps of Gujarat across the border. The petrol pump operators of Gujarat near the border of Chhakatla, Azadnagar and Chandpur are making a lot of money. The distance of Kanwat of Gujarat from Chhakatla is 13 km. Whereas there is a petrol pump of Gujarat just four km away from Chandpur.
Similarly, the Gujarat border is also close to Azad Nagar. Since people from here keep coming and going to Gujarat for medical treatment, shopping and other works, most of the people are buying petrol and diesel from there. At present, the price of petrol in Gujarat is about Rs 13.25 less than MP and diesel is Rs 2.81 less.
The difference in the price is so much that drivers who buy more fuel at once are finding it much cheaper in Gujarat. This is the reason why pump operators in the border areas of Madhya Pradesh are sitting idle.
Madhya Pradesh is hit the hardest by taxes
Although there is a BJP government in both Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, the tax burden on petrol and diesel is much higher in Madhya Pradesh than in Gujarat. Madhya Pradesh is among the states that levy the highest tax on petrol and diesel.
Those taking petrol pump agency are in trouble
Local pump operators say that this difference in price is not from today but from a long time. In such a situation, those who have taken the agency of pumps in the border areas are worried. Only a nominal amount of petrol and diesel is sold here. Even operating the pump is becoming difficult. The government should think in this direction.
Cheap petrol and diesel boards at pumps in Gujarat
To attract drivers, pump operators in Gujarat have put up big hoardings that petrol and diesel are available here cheaper than in MP. Obviously, the pump operators of MP are taking advantage of the tax burden in MP. People from border villages like Azadnagar, Kattiwada, Chandpur, Chhakatla, Barjhar of the district also keep coming to Gujarat for their personal work. People from these areas also prefer to fill fuel in Gujarat.
Understand the math of price in this way
If a bike rider goes to Gujarat and buys 8 liters of petrol in one go, he saves about 100 rupees. If we talk about diesel, then more than 50 rupees are saved by buying 25 liters of diesel. Obviously, common people would like to save this much amount. Residents of the border area say that the MP government should also reduce taxes like Gujarat. This will provide a lot of relief to the common people.