Buy petrol win bike free: MP pump owners bring offers to maintain fuel demand

New Delhi : While fuel price is rising high each new day, petrol pump owners are bringing new strategies to maintain their sales volume. The ad 'buy petrol or diesel and get an automatic washing machine, air conditioner, laptop or a bike is one interesting yet expensive strategy adopted by petrol pump owners in Madhya Pradesh to  stay in business. 

VAT on petrol and diesel is highest in MP, making the fuel costliest among all other states in India. With the difference in prices being high, truckers and commercial vehicles passing through MP prefer refuelling from pumps across the border. 

As a result of high VAT charges, even locals are moving to fuel stations loacted across the border. The fuel business in Madhya Pradesh, therefore, is suffering a huge loss.

“For purchase of 100 litres of diesel, a truck driver will get breakfast and tea for free...” said Anuj Khandelwal, a pump owner.

“We are offering a mobile, a bicycle, or a wrist watch for 5,000 litres, for 15,000 litres an almirah, a sofa set or a 100gm silver coin. On purchase of 25,000 litres of diesel customers can get an automatic washing machine, for 50,000 litres a split AC or a laptop and for one lakh litres we have offered a scooter or motorcycle,” he said.

Ever since the release of the new offers, sales graph have elevated as s drivers are purchasing 100 litres of petrol to get the discount. Manoj Arora, a petrol pump proprietor, told that more than 125 petrol pump owners in border districts like Shivpuri and Ashoknagar are struggling due to price difference which is as much as Rs 5/ litre for diesel.

Pump owners said, MP has 22 per cent VAT on diesel and 27 per cent on petrol and demanded the government reduce taxes.