Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment Ramdas Athawale today demanded review of the price hike in petrol and diesel prices as proposed in the Union Budget 2019-20, which was laid in the Parliament yesterday.
Talking to reporters in Guwahati, Athawale said, “There has been ample social and economic justice done in the Budget. There has been some increase in taxes as these were necessary, but if the burden is too much on the common people, the government will surely review it.”
Referring to the hike in excise duty and road and infrastructure cess on petrol and diesel prices, he said, “The government has decided to impose these taxes as the government needs to raise money. But my party, Republican Party of India, demands that the hike be reviewed and decreased.”
“I shall meet Petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan in this regard and hope he will take a look into it,” Athawale added.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget proposals yesterday, raised excise duty and road and infrastructure cess on the auto fuels by Rs 2 per litre each to raise over Rs 28,000 crore.
She also announced levying of Re 1 per tonne customs or import duty on crude oil. (UNI)
