Claims of tax cut on fuel by Centre is humbug, bogus: Harish Rao

Hyderabad: Telangana Finance Minister T Harish Rao on Sunday accused the BJP-led central government of only “cheating” in the name of price reduction on fuel and demanded it to bring the cess on petrol and diesel to the level prevailing in 2014.

All claims of reduction (tax cut on fuel by the Centre) is humbug and bogus, the Telangana Minister asserted and wanted the Union government to entirely reduce the taxes.

“The Centre is still (even today) collecting Rs 7.40 on diesel and Rs 16.40 per litre on petrol as cess. Bring the cess back to 2014 level and then talk. There is no change in Telangana between 2014 and now,” Harish Rao told reporters here.

“If you are sincere, bring the cess back to 2014 levels on petrol and diesel, when BJP came to power at the Centre,” he said.

“Hike (by) one rupee, reduced by 25 paise but you are celebrating… We have not hiked anything, so where is the question of reducing?” Harish Rao asked.

He further said the price of LPG cylinder was Rs 400 in 2014, and now it has crossed Rs 1,000. “But you (Centre) now reduced by Rs 200 and it is also not applicable for all. The Rs 400 subsidy on cylinder has also been removed. What cheating is this?” he questioned.

Meanwhile, Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of North Eastern Region G Kishan Reddy, urged the ruling TRS government in Telangana to reduce the taxes on petroleum prices saying they were among the highest in the country.

“Recently, several state governments including Congress and BJP-ruled states have reduced taxes on petroleum products, but the TRS government did not reduce the price even by Re 1. The rate of petrol in the country is highest in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh,” Reddy told reporters here.

The Union government on Saturday had cut excise duty on petrol by Rs 8 per litre and that on diesel by Rs 6 per litre to give relief to consumers being battered by high fuel prices which has also pushed inflation to a multi-year high.

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