After the Karnataka elections, the rates of petrol and diesel have gone up. The proposed excise cuts by the states are not happening. The central government was planning to reduce the rates, but so far no decision has been taken yet. The fuel prices have been rising regularly since last 9 days and they might go up the next day.
Government sources sight international crude prices as the main reason behind this. The public is in great distress over the rise in prices on a daily basis. The Congress leaders including the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have in detail explained several times that the prices of fuel under UPA were very low when compared with the NDA. They proved it with facts and figures.
If this continues there will be agitations across the country. The common man will come on to the streets if the rates are not controlled. The central government is monitoring the situation from time to time but so far no course correction has been done. Leaders from the opposition are questioning as to why the prices were low during the Karnataka election and why they are rising after the election on daily basis?
The central government levies Rs 19.48 a litre of excise duty on petrol and Rs 15.33 per litre on diesel. State sales tax or VAT vary from state to state. In Delhi, VAT on petrol is Rs 15.84 and Rs 9.68 a litre on diesel.
