Congress MP Manickam Tagore moves adjournment motion in LS demanding reduction in fuel prices

Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Thursday moved an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over the rise in fuel prices.

"Sir, I hereby give notice of my intention to ask for leave to move a motion for the adjournment of the business of the house for the purpose of discussing a definite matter of urgent importance, namely:- It is a matter of great concern that the price of petrol and diesel has reached Rs 90/-. While the people of this country are already suffering acute fiscal depression due to nationwide lockdown, the continuous price hike of petrol has put their life in deep misery. Therefore there is a need to discuss the false policy of the government in this regard and direct the government to take appropriate action to reduce the mountain size excise tax and thus reduce the price of petrol," the Congress leader said in a letter to Secretary-General of the Lower House.

Earlier, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas counted the lower production in oil-producing nations due to the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason behind the soaring fuel prices a week ago.

During his budget speech, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced the imposition of Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC) of Rs 2.5 per litre on petrol and Rs 4 per litre on diesel.

However, there would be no additional burden on the consumer overall as Sitharaman during Budget presentation also proposed to reduce Basic Customs Duty on these items.

Sitharaman said that an AIDC of Rs 2.5 per litre has been imposed on petrol and Rs 4 per litre on diesel.

However, blended fuel-- M-15 petrol and E-20 petrol -- will be exempted from cesses and surcharges on the lines of other blended fuels (like E-5 and E-10) if these blended fuels are made of duty paid inputs, Sitharaman said

(ANI)

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