News Analysis India

Tag: Fuel Hike

  • Congress slams ‘catastrophic mishandling’ of economy, asks Centre to reduce excise duty on fuel

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Congress on Saturday alleged that the Modi government’s “catastrophic mishandling” of the economy has created an “abyss of economic uncertainty” and called upon the Centre to reduce excise duty to bring down fuel and cooking gas prices.

    In a resolution on inflation and the economic situation of the country, the Congress Working Committee, the party’s highest decision-making body said, the “continued slide” of the economy is a matter of great concern.

    “After the sharp decline in 2020-21, the Modi government boasted of a V-shaped recovery. All signs point to an uneven and struggling recovery in different sectors,” the resolution said.

    “The jobs that were lost during the recession and the pandemic have not been recovered, the micro and small units that were shut down have not been re-started.

    Millions of families face the twin hardships of unemployment and high prices,” the party said.

    The resolution alleged the Modi government is bent upon “robbing” the people of India by all-round inflation and is completely oblivious to the economic worries and challenges being faced by the average Indian.

    The irony is these challenges are the direct result of the Modi government’s “catastrophic mishandling” of the economy that has created an “abyss of economic uncertainty” that has swallowed the minimum income and savings of the average Indian.

    “Nearly 14 crore jobs have been lost, salaries have been cut drastically, lakhs of MSMEs have been shut down and small shopkeepers are struggling to stay afloat,” the CWC said.

    The Modi government’s actions in raising petrol and diesel prices are plain and “simple extortion”, the party said.

    “For the first time ever, petrol has crossed the Rs 100 per litre mark across the country (touching Rs.105 per litre at many places) and diesel is almost touching Rs 100 per litre mark,” it said.

    The CWC also said the “unaffordable” prices of basic consumer goods have “burnt a hole” in the budget of every Indian.

    The Congress calls upon the Modi government to forthwith reduce excise duty to bring down the unsustainably high fuel and cooking gas prices, the resolution said.

    At a time when the nation is recovering from a pandemic, made worse by a “lack of preparedness” on the part of the government, the Modi dispensation must introspect, the party said.

    The CWC calls upon the government to take immediate steps to reduce prices in all crucial sectors, to acknowledge the damage caused by poorly thought-out economic policy and to take urgent steps to remedy the same, the resolution said.

  • Farmers’ row to fuel hike: Opposition set to corner Centre in Parliament over various issues

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Opposition parties are set to corner the government in Parliament on various issues, including the farmers’ protest and price rise, during the Monsoon session starting Monday.

    Leaders of various parties met at Parliament House to chalk out a joint strategy to take on the government.

    Congress has also geared up to raise various matters, including the issue of snooping. Congress MP Manish Tewari has moved an adjournment motion on the issue of farmers’ protest.

    In his adjournment notice, Tewari said he seeks to discuss a definite matter of urgent importance, namely — “in large numbers, farmers have come out against the three acts passed by the central government which threaten their livelihood”.

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    The Farmers ‘Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 have been opposed on the grounds that they will make the farmers vulnerable to exploitation by the corporate sector, Tewari said in his notice.

    He alleged that the government has failed to assuage the concerns of the farmers or present any viable alternative to these acts.

    “There is a palpable fear among the farmers that the Minimum Support Price will be dismantled and role of state governments in APMCS will be affected.

    “About 300 farmers have died while protesting against the unfair laws passed by the Centre. The matter is of urgent importance and I hereby request the permission to raise this issue,” Tewari said in his notice.

    CPI (M) MPs Elamaram Kareem and V Sivadasan have given adjournment notices under rule 267 for discussing the farmers’ protest in Rajya Sabha.

    CPI MP Binoy Viswam has also given an adjournment notice in Rajya Sabha on the Pegasus spying issue.

  • Rajya Sabha: Opposition members ask government to reduce taxes on petrol, diesel

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Members from various political parties on Wednesday asked the government to reduce central taxes on petrol and diesel and give relief to the common man.

    Participating in a discussion on the Finance Bill 2021 in the Rajya Sabha, Biju Janata Dal member Sujeet Kumar said the 10-fold increase in cess and surcharge by the Centre in the last couple of years is against the structure of cooperative federalism.

    “Increase in cess and surcharge which has increased 10-fold in last couple of years which is not in the spirit of cooperative federalism. In fact, it is a direct assault on federal structure of the country,” Kumar said.

    While he appreciated Budget proposals on relaxation of time limit in reopening of income tax assessment from six years to three and hike in threshold for audit from Rs 5 crore to Rs 10 crore for business entities having 95 per cent business in digital form, Kumar urged the government to reduce the excise component in the prices of diesel, which is as high as 39 per cent, to give relief to citizens.

    Kumar also expressed concern that the allocation for education has been reduced.

    “Education is the backbone of this country. Of the about Rs 6,000 crore that has been reduced vis-a-vis last year, Rs 5,000 crore has been reduced for primary education,” Kumar said.

    Aam Aadmi Party MP Narain Dass Gupta raised questions over the government’s claim of development.

    “If wheels of development are rolling at rapid pace, then why are Maharatna being sold?” Gupta asked.

    He said while corporate tax has come down to 25 per cent, no concession has been given to partnerships firms and small and medium enterprises “Like the way tax has been reduced for corporates, the partnership firm, proprietary firm, who generate employment, drive manufacturing activity and trading activity, should also be considered,” Gupta said.

    He also claimed tax inspectors frequently violate Section 138 of the Income-tax Act by leaking information of raids to newspapers.

    Gupta urged the government to make provision of minimum support price in the Budget.

    Congress member Neeraj Dangi raised the issue of disinvestment and alleged that it will lead to the end of reservations in the country.

    “Banks will be sold, ports will be sold, airports will be sold, railway stations have already been sold.

    Entire railways and all government companies who have lakh of acres of land will be sold to the capitalists.

    Even private partnership is being brought in profitable LIC,” Dangi said.

    He said the ruling party will try to end reservation once economic assets go into private hands as there is no provision of reservation in the private sector.

    The Congress member said during the COVID-19 period there were large number of job losses and no relief has been given to the salaried class in the Budget.

    “During COVID pandemic and lockdown, more than 2.1 crore jobs were finished. Despite this, the central government neither understood their mental status nor kept anything in this bill to show concern over their economic condition,” he said.

    IUML member Abdul Wahab said that the government must consider reducing central tax on petrol and diesel.

    He said during the Manmohan Singh regime, a barrel of crude oil was costing around USD 160 but now it is only USD 65.

    He also said countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh are selling petrol for around 60-70 Indian rupees, but in India, the prices are ruling close to Rs 100.