Bhubaneswar: Opposition Congress Thursday criticised the BJP-led government at the Centre over the soaring prices of petrol and diesel, and urged the state government to reduce VAT on fuel to ease people’s burden.
The issue was raised during Zero Hour in the Assembly by Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra, who said petrol prices never reached Rs 107 a litre in the past.
The Centre has failed to regulate the price of fuel, he rued.
Party MLA SS Saluja noted that the state was levying 28% VAT on petrol and 24% on diesel.
He pointed out that the hike in rate of petrol and diesel has led to price rise of other essential items, thus affecting common people.
Saluja demanded that the state government waive tax on the petroleum products.
Meanwhile, prices of petrol and diesel increased again in Odisha on Thursday — the ninth such hike in the last 10 days.
With the fresh hike, the prices of petrol and diesel have touched Rs 108.82 and Rs 98.53 per litre respectively in Bhubaneswar.
PTI
