KTR Criticizes The Centre For Keeping Fuel Prices High.

K.T.Rama Rao, IT minister, accused the BJP govt of being insensitive to the needs of the people for reducing the windfall tax on crude oil, a move that would benefit the corporate sector rather than passing on the benefits of lower crude prices to the public by way of slashing petrol and diesel prices.

KTR said, in a media statement, "The Central government did not reduce the prices of petrol, but it brought down the taxes paid by corporate companies. This clearly shows that the corporate companies are the top priority for the Central government."

By importing crude oil from Russia at discounted prices, the BJP government saved Rs 35,000 crore, but only two or three companies benefited. The Russian crude oil was refined and exported by corporate companies, according to Rao.

He asked why the Centre had allowed the export of refined products. "Ordinary Indian citizens did not benefit from it. Who is pocketing profits," Rao asked.

Taking on the Centre for blaming states like Telangana for higher petrol prices, Rao argued that the Centre's cess was the cause. Rama Rao said that the Centre collected Rs 30 lakh crore in cess. He also said that the state government had not increased the VAT since 2014.

Rao said that the price of petrol could be reduced to Rs 70 per liter and diesel to Rs 60 per liter if the Centre scraps the cess.