Parliament passes Budget for 2010-11, no roll back in fuel price hike
merisarkar news service
New Delhi, May 05, 2010
No roll back to duty hike in petro products: FM
Parliament on Tuesday passed the Budget for 2010-11, keeping the hike in duties on fuels intact, as Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee contended that the present fiscal situation did not permit a roll-back.
"Sorry. It is not possible as the situation is very difficult. Please bear with me and let us wait for better days," Mukherjee said on the demand for withdrawal of duty hikes in petrol and diesel.
After this, Rajya Sabha returned the Bill to the Lok Sabha, thus completing the nine-week Budget exercise.
UPA govt. had raised the excise and customs duty on auto fuels to garner Rs 26,000 crore. The hike in duties had resulted in petrol price being increased by Rs 2.71 a litre and diesel by Rs 2.55 per litre.
The Opposition parties have been demanding the roll-back of the duties saying the fuel price hike hurt the common man and added to inflationary pressures on food items.
