New Delhi, March 27 (IANS). Opposition MPs have expressed dissatisfaction after the Central Government’s decision to reduce the excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 per litre. MPs say that there should have been tax exemption, which the government is not paying attention to.
Speaking to reporters, Congress MP Manish Tewari said, “The government’s revenue comes from the public only, which is collected in the form of taxes. If the government cuts excise duty, it is not giving anything from its own money, rather the money collected from people’s pockets becomes the government’s revenue. Why does the government need to publicize this cut so much?”
RJD MP Misa Bharti told IANS that there has been a slight reduction in prices, but still essential commodities like oil and LPG are not available in sufficient quantity. Be it LPG, petrol or diesel, long queues are being seen everywhere.”
Misa Bharti said that due to acute shortage of petrol, diesel and LPG, the public is not getting any real benefit. Long queues and lack of availability at petrol pumps are affecting the everyday life of the common man.
At the same time, TMC MP Sagarika Ghosh also criticized the government and said that for the last three weeks the government was claiming that the supply of oil and gas was sufficient but now when the situation has become an emergency, only then did the government reduce the excise duty. He said that this shows the failure of the central government. He especially expressed concern over the acute shortage of LPG and said that small industries, restaurants, labourers, students and elderly people are all being affected by this. Earlier nothing was done and now that it has become an emergency, the government has come into action. This clearly shows his failure. He said that if the government had paid attention earlier, there would not have been so many problems in the country today, he remembers the country when the situation in the country worsens.
–IANS
SAK/PM