Don't charge excise, VAT on petroleum products: CPI-M
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, June 15 2021:
Communist party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Manipur State Council has demanded the central and state governments not to collect excise duty and VAT respectively on petroleum products.
In a statement released by party secretary Kh Shanta, the party said that petrol prices have gone down from Rs 47.22 per litre in 2014 to Rs 29.34 per litre this year, which is at the rate of 38 per cent.
However, the central government has raised the excise duty to around 38 per cent, which has raised the fuel prices to around 200 per cent.
On top of this, the BJP government in the state is charging Rs 25-27 as VAT.
By increasing the excise duty, the government is able to provide concession from its revenue to private corporates such as Adani and Ambani.
However, this is putting immense burden on the common people, especially during the pandemic.
As such, the party demanded the government to slash the current petrol and diesel prices and alleviate the suffering of the people.
The statement then conveyed that the main demand of the central and state CPI-M political bureaus is for lowering the fuel prices and daily essential goods.
As such, preparations are underway for a nationwide protest with other opposition political parties on Wednesday, it added.