Diesel price down only 70p, leaves motorists fuming
MUMBAI: Despite the state government announcing a price slash of ₹1.56 per litre for diesel on Friday, its cost in the city dropped only by 70 paise on Saturday, leaving motorists frustrated and opposition slamming the government for misleading the public.
The cost of diesel in the city dropped to ₹76.80 a litre on Saturday from ₹77.54 a litre on Friday. The price of petrol increased in the city by 18 paise from ₹86.97 a litre on Friday to ₹87.15 a litre on Saturday.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier announced that diesel prices would drop by ₹1.56 per litre after the state government’s decision to do away with surcharge and additional tax concession.
“Happy to announce relief on diesel too! After the relief of ₹2.50/ litre by Centre, Maharashtra government has decided to further add its share of ₹1/litre along with 56 paise of tax concession, making it to ₹1.56/litre. The effective cost reduction will be ₹4.06/litre in Maharashtra,” Fadnavis tweeted on Friday.
A representative of a publicsector run oil company said the tax concession of 56 paise was already a part of the cut announced by the Centre on Thursday and had come into effect by Friday. “The [cut on] surcharge of ₹1 did not reflect fully because of the daily rise in the base price by 29 paise,” he said.
“The CM’S tweet brought hopes that fuel prices would further reduce. However, on Saturday, when I went to refill diesel, the price had reduced only by 70 paise. The state government should further reduce taxes and decrease fuel price,” said Charul Jain, a Byculla resident.
Both Uday Lodh, leader of Federation Of All Maharashtra Petrol Dealers Association and UPS Madan, additional chief secretary of the state finance department acknowledged the difference in actual price may have been owing to the daily change in base fuel price.
Meanwhile, the Congress held protests in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, saying the ruling government was misleading the public with bogus promises. Nishant Bhagat, president of Navi Mumbai District Youth Congress, said, “The reduction in fuel prices is just a ‘dangling carrot’ as it has not fully reflected in selling price. We have taken up an awareness drive to expose the misleading public announcements.”
Maharashtra currently charges 26% value-added tax (VAT) and a surcharge of ₹7.12 per litre on petrol in eight cities including Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Aurangabad, Nandurbar and Nanded.