IT News
Imphal, Feb 21:
The Manipur State Secretariat of the CPI(M) has strongly denounced another hike in the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas.
“These hikes in excise duties come at a time when international oil prices have fallen with the base price for petrol being Rs. 47.12 in 2014 to Rs. 29.34 in 2021, i.e., nearly 38 per cent”, said Kshetrimayum Santa, Secy. CPI (M).
The statement added that the main reason for these escalating prices is the unbridled hike in the excise duties by the Central government, which today is 38 per cent of the cost of petrol. The tax levied by the Centre increased by a whopping 217 per cent since this Modi government assumed office in 2014. And above that the Manipur Government led by BJP charged Value Added Tax (VAT) on every litre of petrol and diesel at the rate of Rs. 25 and Rs. 17 respectively .
“These hikes in the excise duties are clearly meant to offset the losses to government revenues due to the tax concessions provided to the corporates such as Adanis and Ambanis and other income tax payees . There is a significant reduction in the corporate and income tax revenues from Rs.6.81 and Rs.6.38 lakh crores respectively last year – a reduction to Rs.5.47 and Rs.5.61 lakh crores respectively, as shown in the 2020-21 budget”, the statement said.
The statement stated that the Modi government’s bonanza to the rich and its cronies is sought to be made up by these excise duty hikes imposing further burdens on the people, who are already groaning under the double whammy attack on their livelihoods by the pandemic and the economic recession.
Further, the hikes in prices of petroleum products will result in higher transportation costs which will increase the prices of all essential commodities and that will hurt the purchasing capacity of the people of the North Eastern States particularly Manipur. The cascading inflationary effect will further worsen the economic recession, it added.
While expressing strong condemnation the hike in petrol and diesel prices, the Manipur State Secretariat of the CPI(M) demanded withdrawal of excise duty hike by Central Government and VAT by State Government both led by BJP to reduce the prices of petrol and diesel to approximately Rs.62 and Rs.48 respectively in the interest of the people.
The call of the Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) to organise Protest Actions demanding that the Centre and State withdraw these excise duties and VAT on petrol and diesel will be organised in Manipur with like minded political parties and organisations .