SHILLONG: The state government has decided to reduce prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 2.50 a litre.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting here on Wednesday. Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that the new prices will be effective from Thursday morning.
The state government’s decision is in line with the Centre’s move to reduce fuel prices by Rs 2.50. With this prices in the state will be reduced by Rs 5.
Price of normal petrol in the city on Wednesday was Rs 81.65 per litre and that of diesel was Rs 74.23.
) The price of extra premium was Rs 84.61 per litre.
But this reduction will put pressure on the state exchequer as Meghalaya will incur a loss of around Rs 15 crore annually.
Earlier, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had pointed out that small states like Meghalaya would not be able to absorb the shock after price reduction.
When asked how the government would deal with the financial stress, Tynsong said it has entrusted a few departments — Mining and Geology, Forest and Environment and Excise Registration Taxation Stamps, among others — to work it out to help the state generate additional revenue to meet this loss.
“Various departments will report to the Cabinet again on the steps they are planning to take for generating additional revenue,” the deputy chief minister said.
To a query if there was pressure from the Centre to take this decision, Tynsong said “the question does not arise”.
Agri rules
The State Cabinet on Thursday approved the Meghalaya Subordinate Agricultural and Horticultural Service Rules. In addition, the Cabinet also approved the Meghalaya Agriculture Engineering Mechanical Service Rules and the Meghalaya Agriculture Engineering Mechanical Subordinate Service Rules.
