Drought-hit Maharashtra losing Rs 122 crore a year due to concessions to IPL, says BJP

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government had been losing a revenue of Rs 122 crore a year since 2008 due to the tax and other concessions given to the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, state BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said on Wednesday.

Bhandari said the government was favouring the cash-rich league, when the state was reeling under a severe drought. The entertainment tax concession to IPL in Maharashtra was in a stark contrast to the situation in Delhi and Punjab where respective state governments charged entertainment tax, Bhandari said, adding that the state should recover the amount and use it for drought relief.

Punjab and Delhi governments also charge IPL for police security but not the state government, he claimed.

BJP said the government was favouring the cash-rich league, when the state was reeling under a severe drought.

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