UP Govt should reduce ST on petrol: VP

Allahabad, June 13 : Former Prime Minister V P Singh has suggested the Uttar Pradesh government to reduce the sales tax on petrol and diesel to provide relief to people, especially farmers.

Talking to UNI here last evening, Mr Singh said if Maharashtra, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh governments could reduce sales tax on petrol and diesel why not the UP government, which claims itself as the well-wisher of farmers.

The former prime minister suggested constitution of a committee to fix petroleum prices, provision of subsidy and benefits to oil companies and other problems. He said this committee should consist members of parliament of all political parties and experts from other fields.

He also said it was an irony that when the prices of petroleum products went up in the international market the government increased the prices but when the prices come down the government never reduced it.

The hike in petrol and diesel prices was going to damage the agriculture which is backbone of Indian economy, he said adding that input cost of agriculture was already high, the hike in petrol and diesel would further damage the interest of the farmers. He suggested issuing of ration cards to farmers and providing petrol and diesel to them on subsidised rates on the basis of those cards.

Mr Singh said the government was importing wheat from foreign countries at the rate of Rs 950 per quintal while it was not ready to pay Rs 850 to farmers for their products.

The former prime minister alleged that criminals and capitalists were ruling in UP and people were fed up with the Samajwadi Party government and wanted change.

UNI