Petrol to be cheaper, CNG costlier in Delhi (Lead, superseding earlier story)
May 28th, 2012 - 10:22 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, May 28 (IANS) Eyeing next year’s assembly polls, Delhi’s Congress government Monday slashed petrol prices, but increased the cost of CNG and tobacco.
The petrol price was slashed by Rs.1.26 from the hiked rate of Rs.73.18 per litre. Now, petrol in Delhi will cost Rs.71.82.
Making the announcement while presenting the budget for 2012-13, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said: “At present the price of petrol in Delhi is the lowest among all the metros and lower compared to the rates in the neighbouring states of Haryana and UP (Uttar Pradesh) too.”
“I propose to exempt the recently announced increase in the price of petrol from the levy of 20 percent VAT. This would cushion the impact of the increase to a considerable extent,” said Dikshit, who also holds the finance portfolio.
But, if petrol prices have been slashed, compressed natural gas (CNG), that powers auto-rickshaws and buses and most taxis, was made costlier.
“I propose to levy at a moderate rate of 5 percent on CNG used in the transport sector. It is relevant to mention that the neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are already levying VAT of 12.5 percent and 5 percent respectively on CNG.”
She justified the move by saying that CNG rates in other states are much higher.
Dikshit, who has been in power for the past 14 years, faces a litmus test in next year’s assembly elections. The Congress got a major drubbing in the recently held elections in to the trifurcated the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
The Delhi budget is pegged at Rs.33,436 crore, over last years’s Rs.27,067 crore.
The plan outlay will be Rs. 15,000 crore and the non-plan expenditure has been pegged at Rs. 18,268 crore.
A major share - Rs.3,372 crore - has been allocated to the transport sector.
Keen to provide a better health system, the Delhi government also allocated Rs.2,124 crore for upgrading dispensaries and hospitals and building better healthcare infrastructure.
“Our approach in the 12th (Five Year) Plan is to increase the bed availability to three beds to per thousand population,” Dikshit said.
The budget also offers sops for women: hairpins, hairbands, hairclips, safety pins, and saree falls have been made cheaper.
- Petrol to be cheaper, CNG costlier in Delhi (Second Lead) - May 28, 2012
- Citing pubic sentiments, Dikshit withdraws VAT on CNG (Lead) - Jun 04, 2012
- Government withdraws VAT on CNG - Jun 04, 2012
- Petrol price hiked by Rs.6.28 plus taxes, industry welcomes move (Second Lead) - May 23, 2012
- Sheila Dikshit may consider reducing VAT on petrol - May 25, 2012
- Petrol price cut by Rs.2 a litre (Second Lead) - Jun 02, 2012
- Petrol price hiked by Rs.7, opposition and allies fret (Intro Roundup) - May 23, 2012
- Petrol price hiked by Rs.7, opposition and allies fret (Roundup) - May 23, 2012
- Cut tax to make diesel cheaper, say Delhi dealers - May 10, 2012
- Revised petrol prices in four metros - May 23, 2012
- Petrol price cut by Rs.2.02 a litre in Delhi (Lead) - Jun 02, 2012
- Petrol costlier in India than in neighbours, US - Nov 29, 2011
- Petrol prices in Goa plunge - Apr 02, 2012
- Fuel price hike inevitable: Delhi CM - Jun 25, 2011
- IGL raises gas prices by 0.20 paise in UP - Sep 08, 2012
Tags: assembly elections, assembly polls, compressed natural gas, congress government, crore, delhi government, dispensaries, drubbing, finance portfolio, litmus test, moderate rate, municipal corporation of delhi, neighbouring states, petrol price, petrol prices, plan expenditure, plan outlay, powers auto, rickshaws, sheila dikshit