VIJAYAPURA: Defending the Congress-led dispensation’s decision to increase the Value-Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel in Karnataka, Minister for Medium and Large Industries MB Patil on Sunday stated that the government needs funds for its development projects, and for the implementation of the five guarantee schemes that the Grand Old Party announced going into the Assembly elections last year.
Addressing the media after chairing a Karnataka Development Programme meeting in Vijayapura on Saturday, Patil, however, mentioned that despite increasing VAT on petrol and diesel in the state, the prices here still remain lower, compared to other states -- such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. He added that the Congress government has hiked the prices of petrol and diesel, with an objective of rationalising the prices compared to the other states.
He further claimed that despite the hike in the prices of petrol and diesel, no unnecessary financial burden has been put on the people of Karnataka. Meanwhile, the minister held the Centre responsible for the steep hike in petrol and diesel prices in India. He claimed that an LPG cylinder which cost around Rs 450 during the UPA era, began to cost over Rs 1,000 during the Modi years.