Meghalaya, Feb 8: Following the indefinite strike carried out by commercial vehicles in the Meghalaya, the state government on Sunday has decided to reduce fuel prices Rs 2 per litre from the tax component of the Retail Sale price of Petrol and Diesel effective Monday, February 8.
“Meghalaya government has reviewed the situation of increased fuel prices of petrol and diesel in and decided to offer a rebate of Rs 2 per litre from the tax component of the retail price, effective from midnight of February 8 in order to maintain price differential from neighbouring Assam and offer relief to consumers within the state,” the Commissioner and Secretary, Excise, Registration, Taxation said in a notification today.
Deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong informed that a meeting under the chairmanship of chief minister Conrad K Sangma was held with Commissioner & Secretary of Excise, Registration, Taxation and Stamps Department.
Earlier, the petrol price in Meghalaya was Rs 91 per litre and diesel at Rs 83 per litre. The fuel prices were increasing every day with a difference of 50 paise either 1 rupee.
However, protesting commercial vehicle owners and drivers are unmoved.
Terming the state government’s decision as pointless and an attempt to fool the commercial vehicle operators, Joint Action Committee of Commercial Vehicles (JACCV) chairman, Wandonbok Jyrwa said their strike will continue as the state government has not addressed all the issues they had raised.
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“What is the use of reducing only 2 rupees? If the government is reducing only Rs 2 today, it is no use because in a day or so it is going to increase again,” said Jyrwa.
“If the government is concerned, they should reduce the tax from Rs 31 to Rs 15 we will be quick to withdraw our strike,” he said.
Jyrwa said that the Association has two demands. One was the reduction in the hike of petrol and diesel prices, while the other is the reduction in taxes collected from commercial vehicles.
