Highest issue price causing high petrol rates in K'taka: Minister

Kollur, Karnataka, Aug 3 (UNI) Karnataka Government today demanded the Centre to bring uniform policy on calculating the issue price of petroleum products to the states.

Speaking to reporters at this temple town in Udupi district, Home Minister V S Acharya said the state had been made to suffer due to the highest issue price on petro products and this was the reason the prices of petrol and diesel was one of the highest in the country.

He said, representing the State at the meeting of All India Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers in Delhi recently, he had urged Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram to bring in an uniform policy on the issue price of petroleum products.

"Karnataka government cannot be blamed on this issue. Public sector MRPL had asked us to either reduce or waive off entry tax on petro products. But the issue price of petro products is the highest for Karnataka. Will centre look at this issue," he asked.

He said the prices on petro products would come down naturally if the state was given the benefit of lower issue on par with other states, he added.

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