Panaji (PTI): The Goa government has announced a hike in Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel with effect from Saturday, which will raise the price of petrol by Re 1 and diesel by 36 paise, an official said.

The notification on this hike was issued on Friday by under secretary (finance) in the state government Pranab G Bhat.

"The rise in VAT means petrol and diesel price will go up by Re 1 and 36 paise, respectively. The current price of petrol in Goa is Rs 95.40 per litre, while it is Rs 87.90 per litre for diesel," the official said.

Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Yuri Alemao called it the act of an "insensitive government" and said the hike must be withdrawn immediately.

The Pramod Sawant government must curb wasteful expenditure instead of carrying out such hikes, he said.

"The state government wants to break the backbone of the common people. Just recently, they hiked the power tariff and today we have rise in petrol and diesel prices," Alemao said.

In a post on X, Goa Aam Aadmi Pary chief Amit Palekar said, "To fuel the ever rising need of corruption of @BJP4Goa led by CM @DrPramodPSawant after electricity price hike now BJP puts hands in the pockets of common again by raising fuel prices. How much more you will make common man suffer?