'Petrol to be cheaper in Rajasthan if...': Union Minister Hardeep Puri says ahead of state elections

Ahead of the Rajasthan election later this month, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said petrol will be cheaper by at least Rs 11.80 per litre in Rajasthan if the BJP is elected replacing the Congress-led government.

Puri alleged that the price of petrol in Rajasthan was the highest in the country because of the additional cess imposed by the Congress government in the state.

Addressing a poll event in Jaipur, Puri said: "I am being asked what will change in the state if the BJP comes to power in Rajasthan. Firstly, I am confident that the BJP is on course to form the government here. And, once we come to power, we will work to bring the price of petrol in Rajasthan at par with the rest of the country (barring Opposition-ruled states). Petrol, in Rajasthan, will be cheaper by at least Rs 11.80 per litre if we are elected."

The Centre has kept the fuel rates at a steady level since last May. On May 21, 2022, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman revised the excise duty and slashed it on petrol by Rs 8 per litre and Rs 6 per litre on diesel.

The prices have been constant in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. The price of petrol is Rs 96.72 per liter in Delhi, while diesel is being sold at Rs 89.62 per litre.  In Mumbai, petrol demands a higher price of Rs 106.31 per liter, with diesel following suit at Rs 94.27 per litre.  In Kolkata, the cost of petrol is available Rs 106.31 per litre, diesel is priced at Rs 92.76 per liter.  In Chennai, petrol is available at Rs 102.63 per liter, while diesel can be obtained at Rs 94.24 per litre.

The prices differ in other states as the fuel prices are calculated after adding on several levies and therefore differ from state to state. These levies are Value Added Tax (VAT), freight charges, local taxes, etc.

Puri added that the Congress government in Rajasthan collected Rs 35,975 crore from additional levies on petrol and diesel over the last couple of years.

The minister said: "In the last two years, the Rajasthan government collected taxes worth Rs 35,975 crore from additional cess on petrol and diesel till November 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. Rajasthan alone collected Rs 2000 crore more than 18 other states and Union Territories taken together."

He further said when compared to 18 states and Union Territories, the tax collection from additional cess on fuel is significantly high.

"The tax collection of these 18 states and union territories, including Delhi, Uttarakhand, Nagaland, Lakshadweep, Manipur, Ladakh, Daman and Diu, Jammu and Kashmir, is Rs 32,597 crore," Puri said in Jaipur.

"Today, the average rate of petrol across the country is Rs 96.72 per litre, but in Ganganagar, Rajasthan, the going rate for petrol is Rs 113.34 per litre," Puri said.

Earlier in the day, PM Narendra Modi too accused the Rajasthan government of increasing fuel prices in the state and charging extra cess as compared to other BJP-ruled states. 

He added that if BJP is elected in the state, he would review the fuel prices.