Modi fuel prices

New Delhi, April 27: Reacting for the first time to the issue of rising fuel prices, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to states ruled by the Opposition to reduce tax on fuel.

This was PM Modi’s first reaction to the rising fuel prices. Modi said the states that did not reduce fuel prices last November should do it now.

PM Modi said, “States like Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Telangana, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Jharkhand did not reduce tax on fuel, and should do it now.”

“Centre reduced the excise duty on fuel prices last November and also requested states to reduce tax. I am not criticizing anyone but request Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Jharkhand, and Tamil Nadu to reduce VAT now and give benefits to people. States like Karnataka and Gujarat reduced VAT on fuel and passed on the benefits to people, despite the move hurting their treasuries,” he continued.

Congress on Saturday slammed the Union government over the inflation issue and asked what it was doing to bring down the prices of essential commodities which were grinding the households of common people.

PM Modi highlighted the Russia-Ukraine war, due to which supply chains have been affected. “This global crisis is bringing new challenges every day. In such a situation, it has become imperative to increase the coordination between the Centre and the states and uphold the values of cooperative federalism,” he said.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said while the rate of inflation was 6.95 percent, the interest rate of fixed deposits in banks was only 5 percent.

“Forget depositing Rs 15 lakh to your bank accounts, PM Modi’s ‘masterstrokes’ have demolished your hard-earned savings,” he said on Twitter.

Eight of the top 10 states with the highest petrol and diesel prices are non-BJP.

Check out the list of the top 10 States with Highest Petrol Price (Rs per litre) as of 6th April 2022

Andhra Pradesh – 121.40
Maharashtra – 120.51
Telangana – 119.49
Madhya Pradesh – 118.14
Rajasthan – 118.03
Kerala – 117.19
Bihar – 116.23
West Bengal – 115.12
Odisha – 112.50
Chhattisgarh – 111.47

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Check out the list of the top 10 States with Highest Diesel Price (Rs per litre) as of 6th April 2022

Andhra Pradesh – 107.00
Telangana – 105.49
Maharashtra – 104.77
Kerala – 103.95
Chhattisgarh – 102.86
Odisha – 102.24
Jharkhand – 102.02
Madhya Pradesh – 101.16
Bihar – 101.06
Tamil Nadu – 100.94

In fact, when the Central government cut the tax on fuel prices in November 2021 by Rs 5 a litre for petrol and Rs 10 a litre for diesel, it was the only Opposition State that refused to cut its own rates.

There were seven States—namely, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala & Jharkhand that have not cut their rates even now. The seven Opposition States that did not cut their rates have earned an extra Rs 11,945 crore as compared to States that cut rates.