SHILLONG: As petrol prices in the city have gone up to more than Rs 83 per litre, the Opposition Congress has slammed the state government over its silence on the matter.
Congress spokesperson, HM Shangpliang on Thursday said that increase in petrol prices was even discussed on the floor of the House and the Opposition was expecting a reply from the state government on the matter.
“However, the state government is silent and we are yet to see any statement from the state government which is very disappointing,” Shangpliang said.
Expressing concern over the continuous increase of petrol prices in the city, he said the Congress party had asked the state government to take care of the increasing petrol prices in the state but nothing has been done by the government in this regard.
He also informed that the issue of the increase in petrol prices was also discussed in the recent CLP meeting of the party.
Apart from petrol, the price of diesel is also on the rise in the city.
The state government has refused to lower VAT unlike Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh where governments had cut down on taxes to absorb the shock of spiralling prices on consumers.
Earlier, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had said the VAT on petrol is lesser compared to other neighbouring states and the state government was under financial pressure.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday announced marginal relief for citizens from runaway fuel prices with excise duty cut of Rs 1.50 and another Re 1 drop by oil marketing companies, taking the cut in fuel prices to Rs 2.50.
He also appealed to the states to match the Centre’s effort by reducing VAT by Rs 2.50 so that the total benefit to citizens is at least Rs 5 and six BJP-ruled states including the neighbouring Assam responded by dropping fuel prices by Rs 2.50.
Officials in the Taxation Department said that the matter of dropping fuel may be discussed on Friday but it is not sure whether any decision will be made since the chief minister is out of country.
It was also informed that the state is charging 22 percent tax on one litre of petrol and 13.5 percent tax on one litre of diesel.
