By IANS,
New Delhi : Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has urged state governments to cut levies on diesel, kerosene and domestic LPG to provide some relief to the common man from the recent hike in fuel prices.
In a letter to chief ministers, Mukherjee said states should cut levies on petroleum products in line with the duty cuts undertaken by the federal government.
The government Friday hiked diesel, kerosene and cooking gas prices by Rs.3 per litre, Rs.2 per litre and Rs.50 per cylinder, respectively.
The finance minister said that in raising the retail prices of diesel, LPG, and kerosene, the government has been conscious of the burden on the common man, and therefore, the price hike has been minimal.
“Even though the central government has been under compulsion to maintain its fiscal and budgetary resource management targets and find additional resources to finance various welfare schemes, it has sacrificed its revenues from the oil sector on account of customs and excise duty in order to minimise the impact on the common man,” the finance ministry said in a statement Monday.