Begin typing your search...
Jaya slams diesel, petrol price hike
Slamming the latest hike in prices of diesel and petrol, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday said while the Centre was getting revenue by revising excise duty, it was passing the burden on the common man which was “an unjust act”.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
Jayalalithaa said since last November, excise duty on diesel and petrol had been hiked five times, at Rs 6.90 and Rs 8.35, respectively. “It is an unjust act that the central government receives revenue for itself but forces the price hike on ordinary people,” she said in a statement.
Referring to Sunday’s revision of petrol (36 paise) and diesel (87 paise), she said the Oil Marketing Companies (OMC) had reasoned the changes in rupee-dollar value for effecting the increase.
“While there is no significant change in global oil prices, increasing the rates based on rupee-dollar value basis is not fair,” she said.
She said changes in the value of Indian rupee to that of US dollar was based on the demand for the American currency, besides fluctuation in stock market due to factors like outflows of foreign investment. The Chief Minister reiterated her opposition to continuation of the UPA-era price fixation policy of fuel products, where the rates were determined based on import prices of crude.
The latest revision of fuel prices will result in a spurt in rates of essential commodities which would affect the poor people, Jayalalithaa said while demanding that the revision be rolled back.
Reduce fuel prices, says Ramadoss
Following the price hike of petrol by Rs 0.36 per litre, and diesel by Rs 0.90 per litre, petroleum becomes costlier for the consumers, said PMK leader Ramadoss. “Oil companies have said this price hike is in accordance with prevailing international price of crude. In fact, within this month crude prices have fallen. Hence, their prices should be reduced. But instead, there has been a price hike. Oil companies increased diesel prices up to Rs 1. In November, the government increased excise duty on petrol by Rs 1.60 and diesel by Rs 0.40 per litre. They also announced that this burden will be borne by the companies themselves; but to equalise the excise duty they have increased the prices, now,” he said. The PMK founder also demanded that the Government should separate domestic oil prices and international price, and revise the pricing system and remove additional taxes on fuel to ease burden on common man.
Visit news.dtnext.in to explore our interactive epaper!
Download the DT Next app for more exciting features!
Click here for iOS
Click here for Android
Next Story
