Kerala minister VD Satheesan asks Centre to cut petrol, diesel prices further

Leader of Opposition in the Kerala assembly and Congress MLA VD Satheesan on Sunday demanded the Centre to reduce the price of petrol and diesel further after the Union government announced a reduction in excise duty on petrol by Rs 8 per litre and on diesel by Rs 6 per litre. "Inflation is rampant in the state. We demand that the Central Government should reduce the price of petrol and diesel more, not like now which is nominal. The fuel price rises due to the Central government raising taxes by more than 300 per cent," Satheesan said.

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Attacking state finance minister KN Balagopal, Satheesan said the finance minister’s statement over tax has not been increased on petrol and diesel is not true. "Government deceives people by saying this. They instead feel happy because the price of petrol and diesel increases because tax revenge rises accordingly. Kerala gets 30.08 per cent of the fuel price. If petrol costs Rs 70, the state government gets 30.08 per cent of Rs 70," Satheesan explained.

Following a reduction of fuel prices by the Centre, the Kerala government on Saturday announced a cut in tax on the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 2.41 and Rs 1.36 respectively. Earlier, in a significant step aimed at providing relief to people from high fuel prices, the Centre announced a reduction in excise duty on petrol by Rs 8 per litre and on diesel by Rs 6 per litre.

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