From Our Correspondent
GUWAHATI: Consuumers’ Legal Protection Forum on Sunday demanded Assam government to reduce tax on diesel to provide succor to the common people in the wake of recent steep hike in diesel prices.
The Forum , however, appreciated decision to give tax exemption of Rs 14 per LPG cylinder for domestic consumers.
Forum’s chief coordinator, advocate Ajoy Hazarika said the central government’s decision to hike the price of diesel by Rs 3 per liter, domestic LPG by Rs 50 per cylinder and kerosene by Rs 2 per liter was “a cruel blow to the common people”.
He said most of the essential items are imported by road to Assam and other Northeastern states and price hike of diesel is adding extra burden on the common consumer. Hikes in transportation costs already increase the price of essential commodities. Inflation is on the rise.
“Price hike in the past already hit the financial backbone of the common consumer. The recent price hike came just a month after the price of petrol was hiked by Rs 5 per liter. Now, Assam state government should also reduce the price of diesel by reducing the sales tax on petroleum products. This will give some relief to the common consumer,” Hazarika said.
The Forum mentioned that in April 1989, the rate of per liter petrol was Rs 8.50, kerosene Rs 2.25, diesel Rs 3.54 and per LPG cylinder was Rs 57.60.
In February 1994 the rate of per liter petrol was Rs 16.78 and diesel Rs 6.98. Government increased the rate of LPG cylinder upto Rs 246 in 2000. In the end of the year 2005, the rate of per liter of petrol became Rs 43.49 and diesel Rs 30.45. In the month of September of 2010 the rate of per liter petrol touched upto Rs 51.
After the December 2010 the rate of petrol increased 5% in our country making life hard for the consumers.