Hyderabad: The Centre on Thursday, was accused of failing to pass on the benefits from the extra revenue it had garnered by raising the excise duty on petrol and diesel.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue in the Lok Sabha, noting that the price of crude was $110 per barrel in March 2014, two months before the BJP came to power, which had come down to $40 in June 2016. It was $60 on Wednesday, the leader said.
Mr Kharge said petrol and diesel prices were not reduced in line with the falling price and instead, excise duty on diesel was hiked by 386 per cent and on petrol by 126 per cent. “You have earned Rs 1.62 lakh crore annually and Rs 5.50 lakh crore in total so far. No benefit has reached the people so far, while the extra revenue has gone to public exchequer,” Mr Kharge said during the Zero Hour.
