Kakinada: All sections of people are hit hard by the steep hike in LPG, petrol and diesel prices and its impact across sectors.
Currently, the price of one litre of petrol at Kakinada and Rajamahendravaram was Rs 113.28 and that of diesel at Rs 106.78.
There is a growing demand to bring these products under GST purview in order to save people from the burden.
Auto drivers, maxi cabs, transport sector personnel, women and youth have expressed their displeasure and flayed both the central and state governments. Travel operators are finding it difficult to get passengers as many are giving up their travel plans and spending money only on what is necessary. People have drastically reduced their travel budgets.
“Nearly 200 maxi cabs ply between Tuni and Kakinada but 75 of them do not get business. Some travel operators are desperately roaming around cities and towns looking out for passengers’’ said the convener of Tata Magic Union K.Sathibabu. He added that financiers have seized many of the vehicles as the owners were defaulting on instalments.
An auto-driver from Rajamahendravaram T. Satish said that the hike in petrol and diesel prices has had a cascading effect on all commodities. He suggested the governments remove many of the welfare schemes, including financial assistance to auto drivers and owners and reduce taxes on petroleum products.
“Welfare schemes should only be earmarked for aged persons, women and farmers,” he said.
A college student M. Srilakshmi said that her family members are abandoning bikes and two-wheeler vehicles to go to their duties because of fuel costs. CITU Kakinada president P. Veerababu said that the Union government should forcibly bring petroleum products under GST and save people besides creating a price stabilization fund to meet the crisis.
