Govt rules out excise duty cut as petrol, diesel prices hit fresh high

NEW DELHI: The executive won't lower excise responsibility on petrol and diesel to cushion spiralling prices, which touched fresh highs Tuesday, because it has limited fiscal house to be had to take any dent in revenue collections, a most sensible professional stated.

With imports turning into costlier because of a free-fall in rupee against the US greenback, the federal government believes the present account deficit will overshoot the target and it cannot "disturb fiscal maths by cutting excise duty on petrol and diesel," the professional, who wished not to be identified, stated.

Petrol and diesel prices Tuesday touched fresh highs as rupee dipped to a file low of 71.54 against US greenback, making imports costlier.

Petrol value in Delhi rose to a file Rs 79.31 a litre and diesel climbed to an all-time prime of Rs 71.34, renewing calls for a lower in excise responsibility to cushion the spike. Almost half of the retail promoting value of the 2 fuel is made up of central and state taxes.

According to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers, petrol value was once Tuesday hiked by 16 paise in step with litre and diesel by 19 paise.

Fuel rates were on fire since mid-August, emerging virtually every day because of a mix of a drop in rupee value and upward thrust in crude oil rates.

Petrol value has risen by Rs 2.17 in step with litre since August 16 whilst diesel rates have climbed by Rs 2.62 - the largest increase in rates witnessed in any fortnight because the launch of day by day value revision in mid-June ultimate 12 months.

Commenting on the relentless value upward thrust, former finance minister P Chidambaram stated: "Relentless rise in prices of petrol and diesel is not inevitable. Because the price is built up by excessive taxes on petrol and diesel. If taxes are cut, prices will decline significantly."

"We already know that there will be a hit on current account. Knowing that we can't disturb the fiscal deficit, we should rather be fiscally prudent," the professional in the finance ministry stated.

While fiscal deficit means expenditure upper than source of revenue, current account deficit (CAD) is the adaptation between influx and outflow of foreign currencies.

In an election 12 months, the spending lower isn't an option, the professional stated reasoning that it could abate executive's spending on development schemes.

"The government cannot disturb fiscal maths by cutting excise duty," he stated.

Last week, credit standing agency Moody's Investors Service stated there are risks of India breaching the three.three in step with cent fiscal deficit target for the present monetary 12 months finishing March 31, 2019, as upper oil prices will upload to temporary fiscal pressures.

CAD will widen however won't jeopardise India's external position, and the distance will stay considerably narrower than 5 years ago, it had stated.

The executive has budgeted fiscal deficit to be at three.three in step with cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the current 2018-19 fiscal 12 months.

Also pushed by upper oil prices and robust non-oil import call for, Moody's expects the present account deficit to widen to 2.five in step with cent of GDP in the fiscal 12 months finishing March 2019, from 1.five in step with cent in fiscal 2018.

Almost half of the fuel value is made up of taxes. The Centre these days levies a total of Rs 19.48 in step with litre of excise responsibility on petrol and Rs 15.33 in step with litre on diesel. On most sensible of this, states levy Value Added Tax (VAT) - the bottom being in Andaman and Nicobar Islands the place a 6 in step with cent sales tax is charged on both the fuel.

Mumbai has the perfect VAT of 39.12 in step with cent on petrol, whilst Telangana levies the perfect VAT of 26 in step with cent on diesel. Delhi fees a VAT of 27 in step with cent on petrol and 17.24 in step with cent on diesel.

The central executive had raised excise responsibility on petrol by Rs 11.77 a litre and that on diesel by 13.47 a litre in 9 instalments between November 2014 and January 2016 to shore up price range as world oil prices fell, however then lower the tax simply as soon as in October ultimate 12 months by Rs 2 a litre.

This resulted in its excise collections from petro goods greater than doubling in ultimate 4 years - from Rs 99,184 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 2,29,zero19 crore in 2017-18. States noticed their VAT revenue from petro goods upward thrust from Rs 1,37,157 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 1,84,091 crore in 2017-18.

A litre of petrol in Mumbai prices Rs 86.72 whilst diesel is priced at Rs 75.74 in step with litre.


Prices in Delhi are the most cost effective in all metros and most state capitals because of lower sales tax or VAT.


Officials stated the spike in rates is because of trade price falling to a file Rs 71 to a greenback, depreciating by Rs 2.five in a month.


Also, crude oil has received $7 a barrel in a fortnight, pushed by fears that the US sanctions on Iran will most likely contract provides.


Govt rules out excise duty cut as petrol, diesel prices hit fresh high Govt rules out excise duty cut as petrol, diesel prices hit fresh high Reviewed by Kailash on September 04, 2018 Rating: 5
Powered by Blogger.