New Delhi: With Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led authorities drawing flak over the skyrocketing gas costs, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday termed it to be a “vexatious issue” and mentioned each the Centre and state governments should maintain talks to deliver retail charges to an inexpensive stage for the customers.
“I know I am treading on an area and whatever I may say, to bring in the reality into picture, will only sound like I am obfuscating,” Sitharaman advised the media within the nationwide capital.
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“Because Indians being Indians, and I am one of them, we’ll immediately stand up and say, all this is apart, are you reducing the price today or not?” she added whereas coming to the defence of the ruling dispensation on the Centre.
Asserting the federal government has no management over oil costs, the Finance Minister put the ball within the court docket of the oil advertising corporations.
“It is oil marketing companies who have to say whether they want to cut it down or raise it… It is the oil marketing companies which import the crude, refine, distribute it and even put the cost for logistics,” Sitharaman mentioned.
Stating the states levy VAT, which assist them get extra income every time costs go up, Sitharaman mentioned: “I can do that (cut taxes) if I have a certain guarantee that my revenue foregone will not be an opportunity for somebody else to get into this space and gain that.”
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“If all of us are talking about consumer prices (on fuel to) come down (and the) tax raised by the Centre, tax raised by the states are not holier than one another.” The taxes by centre and states equal,” PTI quoted her as saying.
Responding to a poser on whether or not bringing gas costs beneath the Goods and Service Tax (GST) can be a solution to the current scenario, the Finance Minister replied within the affirmative however added there must be a “thorough discussion in the GST Council” (comprising Centre and the states) for a similar.
Sitharaman additional mentioned there might be one gas worth all around the nation if the GST Council agrees on one charge.
The Finance Minister’s assertion comes because the gas costs witnessed a hike for the twelfth consecutive day on Saturday. According to stories, petrol costs in Delhi rose to Rs 90.58 per litre whereas diesel costs within the nationwide capital elevated to Rs 80.97 per litre. Petrol costs in Mumbai surpassed the Rs 97 per litre whereas diesel soared to Rs 87.06 per litre.
