Fuel price hike amid pandemic crisis uncalled for, says truckers body

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Mumbai: Rising fuel prices even during the coronavirus-induced crisis is adding to the pain of the common man and also the transport sector, truckers body All India Transport Congress (AIMTC) said on Wednesday.

Stating that there is still room to reduce these prices by up to Rs 40 per litre, the AIMTC also said that the government should have cut the excise duties and asked the states to lower their VAT rates than increasing the fuel prices.

“There is social, emotional and economic trauma all pervasive in the country and the current increase in fuel prices in the country are uncalled for,” the truckers body said in a statement.

The current crude prices are of August 2007 level when crude oil was around USD 70.13 per barrel and the petrol prices in the country were Rs 43.52 and diesel price was Rs 30.48, the AIMTC said.

“The Government should have cut the excise duties and asked the states to lower their VAT to provide some relief, but its insensitivity towards the plight of people continues unabated (by way of increase on fuel prices,” it said. Though these are on expected lines as the assembly and local elections are over in few states and the central government instead of helping the ailing transport sector and the common man during these critical times continue with its” profiteering”, the AIMTC alleged.

In May 2014 when the international crude oil was $105 per barrel, the petrol price was Rs 71.41 and diesel price was Rs 56.71, it said, adding that in December 2020, when crude oil was at $47.58 a barrel, petrol in India increased to Rs 90.34 and diesel Rs 80.51.

Petrol and diesel prices were raised for the second day in a row on Wednesday as state-owned fuel retailers resumed daily rate revision after a more than two-week long hiatus during assembly elections in states like West Bengal.