KTR Urges Centre to Cut Fuel Rate After Global Crude Prices Fall
TRS Working President, Minister KTR lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP Government saying that though the prices of crude oil in the world market have fallen drastically, the BJP Central Government is not taking any steps to lower the fuel prices and reduce the burden on the people of the country. The Modi government’s excuse that international crude oil prices are the reason for the increase in fuel prices has once again proven wrong, KTR remarked.
If the price of a barrel of crude oil decreases internationally, the people of the country should be benefitted. However, the Modi Government does not want that to happen. That is why the BJP government is increasing excise duties and cesses, said Minister KTR. Since 2014, in these eight years, the Central government under the leadership of Modi has increased fuel prices so many times and looted more than 26 lakh crore rupees from the people in the form of fuel taxes and cesses. The Modi government is exploiting the common people and serving the corporate. As they are too busy serving the interests of the corporates, they do not have any concern towards the sufferings of the poor and the middle classes, said KTR.
Before coming to power, PM Modi always used to say that the rise in fuel prices was a failure of the then Central government. Will Modi now admit that he has failed miserably in controlling the rise of fuel prices? KTR asked. When the Modi government was formed in 2014, the price of a barrel of crude oil was around 110 dollars. By January 2015, it had fallen to 50 dollars and in January 2016 it had fallen to 27 dollars. In 2020, the price of barrel crude oil fell to even 11 dollars due to Covid & lockdown. However, the Modi government has never reduced fuel prices, remarked Minister KTR. According to the statistics provided by central organizations, the first three years of PM Modi coming to power, between May 2014 and September 2017, the excise duty on petrol increased by 54 percent, while on diesel, it increased by 154 percent, KTR added.
Holding additional cesses levied by the Central Government responsible for fuel price inflation, Minister KTR said that it was cruel on the part of Modi government to amend law in March 2020 to increase the additional excise duty on petrol and diesel to the maximum extent. He said that the merciless Modi government has been increasing the excise duty when the people of the country are financially devastated due to the covid epidemic. According to an estimate, the Modi government has collected about 14 lakh crores of rupees from the people in the form of excise duty and 26 lakh crores of rupees in the form of cesses and taxes, he said. Minister KTR stated that the states get very little income from the excise duty increased by the Centre. Modi government, with an aim to weaken the states economically, has increased the petrol rates mostly in the form of cesses and not in the form of taxes, he added.
KTR said that if only the Central government lifts the duty levied on fuel, the people will get a relief of around Rs 30 per liter. He said that if the fuel rates increase, the transportation costs will automatically increase, and with the unreasonable increase in the petro rates by the Modi government, the prices of essential commodities have increased and the highest inflation has been recorded in the history of the country. KTR expressed his anguish that with the skyrocketed prices, the conditions of the poor and middle class have completely deteriorated. Despite knowing the reality, the Modi government did not bother to reduce the fuel prices. This clearly shows the indifference of Modi towards the poor and the middle class. Moreover, the BJP Government, which is constantly raising fuel prices, is trying to blame the state governments. The government of Telangana has not levied a single rupee of additional tax on fuel since the State's formation, Minister KTR said.
KTR said that although the global crude oil price has dropped to 95 dollars per barrel, there is no reduction in fuel rates in India. To provide relief to the people who are having a tough time due to ever increasing inflation, covid induced lockdown and job losses as a result of the inefficient policies of the central government, the central government should immediately do away with all types of cesses on petrol and diesel and reduce the prices of petrol, KTR demanded.
