Petrol prices cross ₹100 mark in Raj

Petrol prices in all 33 districts of Rajasthan crossed the ₹100 mark on Sunday, with Ganganagar registering the highest at ₹104.95 per litre, the state government informed.

Chief minister Ashok Gehlot criticised the Centre for the constant hike in fuel prices and inflation and said the common man is now trapped in a “web of inflation woven by the Modi government”. “The common man is already disturbed due to Covid and declining income, and the Modi government is creating more trouble with inflation,” he said. The chief minister said the Centre has been constantly reducing excise duty on petrol and diesel where every state had a share and imposing special excise duty and additional excise duty to fill its coffers. He added that one-third of the income of the central government is due to taxes on petrol and diesel. “When the central government was supposed to give relief by reducing tax on petrol and diesel, it imposed a new tax in this year’s budget. This has increased transportation charges, due to which inflation is increasing,” Gehlot said.