[VRPAI]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

@VRPAI; @gssyrya; it is very easy to blame the national government for everything.

I am not blaming the government per se. I do understand what your saying because our state had a one rupee odd vat excise hike not so long ago. That's why I pretty much appreciate the central government, though they may be increasing our taxes they seem to working on what a government must be doing. Unlike our state governments which keep on increasing the floor vat year after year and do nothing but scams. :banghead:

[sgiitk]

@VRPAI; Some taxes like VAT (or the forthcoming avatar GST) should only be levied as a percentage, so esp with VAT state govts are free to increase the percentage. However, defining a floor VAT (it is ₹x or y% whichever is higher) goes against the grain. I know UP & Delhi are among the states which have done it. Reason they did not want fuel revenue to go lower, and were not honest enough to increase the percentage.

[gsurya]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

@VRPAI; @gsurya; it is very easy to blame the national government for everything. Yes, they increased excise, but only after states started increasing VAT directly or under the excuse of a floor VAT (whatever that stands for?). They had gone fat with the VAT earnings at high fuel prices.

More than half the cost of petrol is now due to central/excise taxes & duties. But we shouldnt blame national Govt for anything

http://articles.economictimes.indiat...rol-and-diesel

So lets not kid ourselves that fuel prices are now 'decontrolled', they are controlled by constantly tweaking fuel taxes to maintain Govt income levels as the crude prices fall. We now need to see what happens when crude rises again.

[gsurya]

Originally Posted by VRPAI

I am not blaming the government per se. I do understand what your saying because our state had a one rupee odd vat excise hike not so long ago. That's why I pretty much appreciate the central government, though they may be increasing our taxes they seem to working on what a government must be doing. Unlike our state governments which keep on increasing the floor vat year after year and do nothing but scams. :banghead:

I didnt quite get this logic, Central Govt can increase its fuel taxation 7 times to maintain its budget, but if a State Govt does the same, its a scam?

Thats why I repeat, only having fuel taxation as part of GST will save us from whimsical taxation in future, even if it is kept high.

[VRPAI]

Originally Posted by gsurya

I didnt quite get this logic, Central Govt can increase its fuel taxation 7 times to maintain its budget, but if a State Govt does the same, its a scam?

It's just that we shouldn't entirely put the blame on the central government. The States charge us pretty high on taxes too. However m entirely ohkay on higher taxes if that translates to better roads and infrastructure, which sadly isn't in most parts of country and its worse in my state of Kerala.

[ghodlur]

The crude oil prices fell sharply due to failed OPEC talks in Doha. The prices stand now at $41 from 44. So does this mean that the govt will hike the fuel prices considering that it hikes the prices when the international prices are low and eases when the crude is on the run.

Prices tumbled more than five per cent in early Asian trade after top producer Saudi Arabia said a deal must include all members of the Opec producer cartel -- including rival Iran, which boycotted the talks.

Many had expected Sunday's talks to reach a deal to stem a nosedive in oil prices that has seen them more than halve from their mid-2014 peaks, costing exporters billions in lost revenue.

But after hours of negotiations, the 18 producers concluded that they needed "more time" to reach an agreement on limiting supplies, Qatari energy minister Mohammed bin Saleh al-Sada said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/b...w/51872248.cms

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by gsurya

Thats why I repeat, only having fuel taxation as part of GST will save us from whimsical taxation in future, even if it is kept high.

I agree, but states opposed GST on Fuel and alcohol. Why? We should have an answer. Obviously they considered these are evils to be taxed at will. This compromise was required to get them on board for GST.

The GST act talks for exemption for three years, unless extended. We all know what will happen!

[manduvindupondu]

Around 3-4 years ago, Goa was selling petrol at INR 55 per litre when across the country it was 15-25 Rs higher. It was due to the 0-2% State sales tax. It was the highest in United AP (33%) during that time.
I would say 80% of our day-to-day problems depend on the statenot exactly on the Central government.
Looking forward to Tesla launching vehicles in India.

[VRPAI]

Sorry for going really OT here. It was said a few years ago that hydrogen would be the fuel of the future for automobiles, many years later it is nowhere even as popular or common as electric vehicles yet. Storage is a known problem foe hydrogen, but so many years later as well we are yet to find an proper practical alternative to fossil fuels.Electric cars simply don't make much sense to me. Will we go the hydrogen way or the electric way?

Mods,kindly move the post to the appropriate thread if it's not meant to be posted here.

Thanks
Pai

[sgiitk]

@VRPAI; I have worked on Hydrogen storage in the 1980's. It was round the corner then, still is now. Only place I know of where something has been done, is Norway with a 100km or so of Hydrogen highway with refuelling and so on.

As for EVs I see these as an option, but there may be a severe problem in limited availability of Lithium the prime material in batteries. Setting up charging stations, esp on highways may not be that tough. However, in the hinterland power comes for maybe 12 hours a day or less, so charging will be another issue.

[jinojohnt]

Petrol price at Trivandrum stands at Rs 65 per liter (Indian Oil, Civil Supplies pump). A round figure, after a long time

[VRPAI]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

As for EVs I see these as an option, but there may be a severe problem in limited availability of Lithium the prime material in batteries. Setting up charging stations, esp on highways may not be that tough. However, in the hinterland power comes for maybe 12 hours a day or less, so charging will be another issue.

Isn't the electricity we get derived from thermal power plants (not fully but still a sizeable share) which itself cause pollution. And wouldn't the transmission of electricity involve energy loss again.
So does it actually mean EV vehicles help the environment?
Further do these EV's have batteries with long life?

Sorry for the noob questions,and m still not sure if I am posting on the appropriate thread, mods please move to the appropriate thread if necessary.

Thanks

[gsurya]

Originally Posted by manduvindupondu

I would say 80% of our day-to-day problems depend on the statenot exactly on the Central government.

Looking forward to Tesla launching vehicles in India.

As of today, 51% of petrol cost is made up central taxes & duties! But agree that we use state infrastructure much more than national infra on day to day basis. It's local governance that has maximum impact.

[sgiitk]

@VRPAI; Agreed that with EVs we are moving pollution to another place. However, combining the efficiency of the power plant, distribution system, and the EV i think we are still somewhat better off.

Yes, Lithium batteries have a long life. So the number of mobiles we are now getting with sealed battery compartments. The issue is the limited availability of Lithium and also geopolitics since at the moment China seems to supplying most of it. Lithium happens to be the lightest alkali element so a direct substitution will definitely have a weight penalty.

[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by VRPAI

Isn't the electricity we get derived from thermal power plants (not fully but still a sizeable share) which itself cause pollution. And wouldn't the transmission of electricity involve energy loss again.
So does it actually mean EV vehicles help the environment?
Further do these EV's have batteries with long life?

Sorry for the noob questions,and m still not sure if I am posting on the appropriate thread, mods please move to the appropriate thread if necessary.

Thanks

Electricity as you rightly pointed out is generated mainly by coal burning thermal power plants in India. However electricity is also generated by water, by nuclear plants and currently by solar energy and wind energy, which we Indians are promoting in a big way. In about 3-5 years we will have most of our electricity supplied by either nuclear, wind or solar energy, hence making us clean and sustainable. We also have the world's second largest coal reserves as a backup if required. So electric vehicles are the future, there is no doubt about it. Increasing research, developments will extend EV range and with better infrastructure, government subsidies and heavier taxation on fossil fuels, we will become a EV driving nation soon.