SHILLONG, Oct 16: Shillong has joined the league of cities across the country where petrol prices have scored a century.
Petrol and diesel prices have been increasing steadily following a surge in global crude oil rates.
On Friday, the price of petrol in the state capital was Rs100.17 per litre. The rate increased by 27 paise in less than 24 hours to touch Rs 100.44 on Saturday.
The price of a litre of diesel stood at Rs 92.97 as on Saturday.
The increase in fuel prices did not evoke any protest in Shillong unlike other places in India. People have chosen to limit their movement in order to pour less fuel into the tanks of their vehicles. On the brighter side, fuel prices in Meghalaya are one of the lowest in the country because of a lower tax rate.
Taxes imposed by the state government account for 20% of the price of petrol and 12% of that of diesel.
Wandonbok Jyrwa, the chairman of the Meghalaya Joint Action Committee of Commercial Vehicle declined to comment on the fuel price hike apart from attributing it to the increase in prices in the international market.
“We don’t have any plans for protest since this increase is being done by the Centre and not by the state government,” he said.
Jyrwa, however, said that they will write to the All India Trade Union Congress for submitting a memorandum to the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah urging him to bring petroleum products under the ambit of GST.
State-run oil refiners such as Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum revise the fuel rates on a daily basis by taking into account the crude oil prices in the international markets, and the rupee-dollar exchange rates. Any changes in petrol and diesel prices are implemented with effect from 6 am every day.