Andhra, Delhi, Goa to waive duty on petrol, diesel

New Delhi, June 10 (UNI) With the Centre firmly refusing any rollback of the hike in prices of petrol and diesel, three Congress-ruled states -- Andhra Pradesh, Delhi and Goa -- today decided to cut duty on the fuels, a day after Maharashtra announced its decision to do so, to provide ''relief to the common man.'' Following in the footsteps of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi and Goa decided to cut duty on petroleum products. The sales tax on petrol has been reduced from 34 to 33 per cent and on diesel from 23 to 22.25 per cent in Andhra Pradesh while the quantum in Delhi, Maharashtra and Goa will be decided by the state cabinets.

The reduction in duty in Andhra Pradesh will effect a decrease of 40 paise on petrol and 22 paise on diesel.

Ruling out even a partial rollback, Union Petroleum Minister Murli Deora today said though there was an unprecedented hike in the international crude oil prices, the Centre had effected only a ''marginal increase.'' With the burden of oil companies still staggering at Rs 73,500 crores, the Centre should have increased the petrol price by Rs 10.50 and diesel by Rs 9.38 a litre, but had effected a raise of only Rs four per litre in respect of Petrol and Rs two for diesel.

Mr Deora said the Indian basket of crude oil recorded a new high of 71.13 US dollars a barrel, but the Centre had passed on only 16 per cent of the additional burden on the consumers.

Keeping the interest of the middle and poor class people, the prices of LPG, which should have been hiked by Rs 150 and Kerosene by Rs seven are left untouched, he said.

In face of growing opposition, the four Congress ruled states -- Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi and Goa -- decided to waive duty on petrol and diesel which will reduce the prices in these states. The decision may be followed by other Congress-ruled states.

While, Maharashtra had announced the cut yesterday, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Goa followed suit today.

Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit said, ''We have decided to give relief to Delhiites by reducing tax on fuel.'' However, the quantum of the cut would be decided by the Cabinet on Tuesday, she added.

At present tax on petrol in the city was 20 per cent while it was 12.5 per cent on diesel.

Goa Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane said the government will provide ''a level-playing field'' by reducing the local tax on petrol and diesel to unburden the common man. Though the precise details of the cut will be announced after his meeting with the state Finance Secretary on Monday.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said since the issue pertains to financial burden on the state exchequer, it would be taken up in the Cabinet and an appropriate decision will be made.

The duty on fuels in the state is highest anywhere in the country.

Meanwhile, countrywide protests and demonstrations against the hike continued. Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha West Bengal Pradesh Committee (SYSWBPC) held a protest march in Kolkata. Party chief Bijoy Upadhyay declared that a state-wide agitation would be organised on June 13.

A daylong bandh, called by the Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce and Industries, evoked mixed response with shops remaining closed in the state capital and other towns today.

The Pondicherry goods transporters association and Pondicherry lorry owners and the booking agents association decided to participate in the nationwide strike called by the All India Motor Transport Congress on June 13. The Andhra Pradesh Lorry Owners Association (APLOA) also decided to join in the strike.

The Left parties in Andhra Pradesh would organise a state-wide rasta roko agitation on June 13, protesting against the fuel price hike.

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) state secretary B V Raghavulu and secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) K Narayana in a statement here today said trains would be stopped as part of the protest.

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