CHENNAI: As prices of petrol and diesel reached a new high of Rs 75.12 and Rs 66.75 per litre respectively, DMK on Wednesday demanded that the Union Government immediately disallow oil companies from fixing oil prices on daily basis. The principal opposition party in Tamil Nadu also demanded that the Centre should bring petrol and diesel under the ambit of Goods and Services Tax (GST) or reduce the existing taxes.
In a statement, Stalin also accused the Tamil Nadu Government of not reducing the sales tax imposed on sale of petroleum products and note that prices of petrol and diesel have been revised nine times after the NDA came to power in
2014.
Last year, the Government allowed oil companies to alter the rates on a daily basis according to the price of crude oil in international markets. Since then, the prices have seen a steady increase.
“The current policy of fixing the rates of petroleum products on a daily basis is not a rational arrangement and such a decision has only put additional burden on the common man. Though the prices of petrol and diesel have been witnessing a steady increase, it is condemnable that the BJP Government at the Centre and the state government have not come forward to reduce the rates,” Stalin said in a statement here.
The daily increase in petrol and diesel prices have led to increase in the price of essential commodities, thus putting additional burden on the people.
“The Centre can ensure sales of petrol and diesel at lower rates by either reducing the excise duty or bringing them under the purview of GST,” he
said.
Accusing both the Centre and the state government of not being bothered about the sufferings of the common man, the DMK leader demanded that the Centre immediately revoke its decision to allow oil PSUs to fix petroleum prices on a daily basis and lower the excise duty.
“The state government should also reduce sales tax on petroleum prices immediately to mitigate the sufferings of the public,” Stalin said.
