BHUBANESWAR:The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday demanded reduction of Central excise on petrol and diesel to keep the prices under control to protect the interest of people of Odisha as well as the country.
A delegation of senior BJD leaders submitted a memorandum to the President of India through the Governor highlighting the fact that since the NDA Government came to power, the prices of petrol and diesel have increased manifolds. “There has been an increase of 126 per cent in excise duty on petrol and 330 per cent on diesel.
The memorandum alleged that when the international crude oil price is now 25 per cent less than the rate in 2011 and data from petroleum planning and analysis cell (PPAC) of the Union Petroleum Ministry show that crude oil prices have been declining since 2014, the benefits have not been passed on to the consumers. Though the international crude oil price touched a low of 46 US dollars per barrel, prices of petrol and diesel continued to increase in the country, it added.
“It clearly shows that there has not been a resultant reduction in prices of petrol and diesel as the Centre has not reduced the excise duty on petrol and diesel to pass on the benefit to the consumers,” the memorandum stated.
Though there has been a drastic increase in petrol and diesel prices which has affected all sections of society over the last four years, the memorandum said it is unfortunate that the Centre remains a mute spectator and is not taking effective steps to reduce it.
Among others, the delegation included Minister for Industries and Water Resources Niranjan Pujari, BJD vice-president and Rajya Sabha member Prasanna Acharya, BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra, BJD general secretary Sanjay Dasburma and State secretary Bijay Nayak.