[Jude300]

Many ask why we have been able to buy petrol at ₹60 per litre when crude hit $120 per barrel. Politically and comically I am going to brutal because I feel the pinch. "That's the difference between the two meanings that the word 'act' has. Example 1: A well educated PM acted by reducing the tax burden on the common man. Example 2: The PM acts well but fails to deliver. Hope you now understand.

Some will argue that the PM & FM are trying to save our economy by keeping fuel prices high. I can't find a better joke. Fuel was always dear to the common man. Nobody wasted petrol because it was sold at ₹60 per litre. Yet this is a popular argument.

I would go further and ask where is the money collected as tax going? Look at the graph and you will see the incremental income to the government driven by the tax. Have we seen proportional developmental investments? A big NO. Have we seen significant improvement in public transport infrastructure to encourage people to use public transport? Again a big NO. A good economist will address the problem with sustainable solutions and not try to increase tax to control demand. Can someone prove that the consumption of fuel has reduced because of higher taxes? Even after months of lockdown, our crude imports have been more than 2015 levels in 2020. Only the irrational devotee will have a story otherwise.

[Bibendum90949]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Cousin sent this from Rewa district of MP - another state to cross the 120 milestone.

XP95 is at 124.91

This is what I had paid in Seoni, MP for diesel last week, guess it's the highest in the country.

[wildsdi5530]

Originally Posted by Jude300

I would go further and ask where is the money collected as tax going?

No offense to anyone, but the taxes collected are very well used in our country.

An evening walk down central vista where our benevolent leaders perform their R&Rs.

Look up at the sky where our leaders are flying in the same comfort and speed as USA leaders. No other country seems to have AF1.

Look at the front page full page advertisements in national daily newspapers extolling the virtues of our leaders.

The powerful statement that 1 billion people have been vaccinated leaving only a paltry minority unvaccinated.

Mega political rallies attended by lakhs of people which even Nazi Germany could never match.

When we look at these achievements with pride in our hearts, how can we grudge a few 100% tax on a sin goods like fuel?

[vharihar]

Originally Posted by Jude300

I would go further and ask where is the money collected as tax going? Look at the graph and you will see the incremental income to the government driven by the tax. Have we seen proportional developmental investments? A big NO. Have we seen significant improvement in public transport infrastructure to encourage people to use public transport? Again a big NO.

Do you not notice the metro construction works going on in *all* Tier 1 and Tier 2 and most Tier 3 and Tier 4 cities? Do you not see the EV vehicles delivered as public transport buses (under FAME-II subsidy) in an increasingly more number of cities (several in Mumbai and Pune)? Do you not see the AC local trains introduced in Mumbai with more on the way?

Do you not read the news about 8-lane Mumbai-Delhi expressway under construction, the Trans-Haryana expressway u/c, the Chenab bridge u/c on the Kashmir Rail link u/c, the Zojilla tunnel u/c, the swanky redeveloped railway stations at Bangalore Baiyappanahalli, Habibganj, Gandhinagar, etc? I'm not going to repeat the full list. See this:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ml#post5092359 (The Official Fuel Prices Thread)

Do you think these drop down from the sky in a jiffy? It takes work and time to build these. All countries have gone though this, you don't see it in those countries because they did it before you and I were born.

[ABHI_1512]

^^

Wonder how a country which just got independence managed to build IiTs, IIMs, AIIMS, various atomic centers, various universities, various colleges, road projects (of course not of ALE standards) and various developmental projects, polio eradication and most of all, fought three wars and still didn’t tax the people like the way it is happening now !!

I find it amusing that a financial bungling of the highest order is being defended in the name of development as if the country was born yesterday and seeing development for the first time !!

[saikarthik]

Hope they add petrol and diesel in commodities market instead of crude. I will certainly buy!

[RoadTrippin]

Tragedy is that we are such a polarised society that nothing is going to change. Prices can hit 120, 130, 150 and the defenders of this administration will find some fairy tale to justify it. Oh but they build one highway, they are defending the nation against unseen enemies, see there are a/c coaches in suburban trains now. As if none of that happened before. The fact is that the supporters back this government for reasons that have nothing to do with 'vikaas' and they are willing to pay any price to see that end reached. Doubling of fuel prices in 7 years is something they are willing to live with, if it means certain sections of society are 'put in their place'. I have heard uncles in my own family and friends circle espouse these views. Nothing surprises me anymore.

[livetodrive]

As someone from union Government said...are we paying for free vaccines? Seems Government is compensating it's losses in Covid with surged fuel prices. Once the losses are compensated and important elections are round the corner, can we expect a price reduction?

[deovrat]

Originally Posted by vharihar

Do you not notice the metro construction works going on in *all* Tier 1 and Tier 2 and most Tier 3 and Tier 4 cities? Do you not see the EV vehicles delivered as public transport buses (under FAME-II subsidy) in an increasingly more number of cities (several in Mumbai and Pune)? Do you not see the AC local trains introduced in Mumbai with more on the way?

Do you not read the news about 8-lane Mumbai-Delhi expressway under construction, the Trans-Haryana expressway u/c, the Chenab bridge u/c on the Kashmir Rail link u/c, the Zojilla tunnel u/c, the swanky redeveloped railway stations at Bangalore Baiyappanahalli, Habibganj, Gandhinagar, etc? I'm not going to repeat the full list. See this:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ml#post5092359 (The Official Fuel Prices Thread)



Do you think these drop down from the sky in a jiffy? It takes work and time to build these. All countries have gone though this, you don't see it in those countries because they did it before you and I were born.

I'll talk about only one city, Pune. Metro construction started here in 2016. Fast forward 5 years, and only 1 'line' is nearing completion. Rest of the city has been all dug up and faces huge traffic every working day. The said line has not even started as a matter of fact.

Any rational person would agree that more than 5 years is more than enough time to get 1 single line up and running, even if for showing off the work.

Reading news about construction and actually completing projects which deliver direct benefits to end consumer are very different things.

[DigitalOne]

There was a time last April or so when the tax hikes done by both centre (massive) and states (moderately) was justified. We were in an unprecedented situation.

Not any more. When the economy is almost back to pre-covid levels, there is simply no reason for this high taxes.

I had read sometime back that even with a reduction of rs.8 in the central Excise taxes, the budgeted revenue from fuel excise taxes for 2021-22 can be met. From that time, I have been waiting in vain for this to happen. Elections have come and gone, Diwali is here and yet the government is adamant to keep the taxes high. We probably have to wait till the upcoming elections (pun intended) .

On the other hand, state governments are having a merry time. State VAT is calculated as a % over base price + central Excise. So as world crude prices go up, their revenue goes up, yet all the blame falls on the centre . AFAIK only TN reduced VAT recently.

[dragonfire]

Originally Posted by sunbaj

I agree but I don't understand what is the current opposition doing. Either the current opposition does not have any interest/concern to the issues that the general public is as a whole facing or they are under the illusion that giving importance to other issues which we all know what they are makes more sense.

If I am the oppostion, I'd say - you brought it upon yourselves, so you need to suck it up. It has been proven time and again, that it is not by raising issues that affect the public at large, but only by playing to the emotions of religious/caste/regional groups that they can win elections.

[anb]

Originally Posted by DigitalOne

There was a time last April or so when the tax hikes done by both centre (massive) and states (moderately) was justified. We were in an unprecedented situation.
.

You missed the hike on May 6th 2020. Additional excise duty on diesel was hiked by Rs.13 and petrol by Rs.10 in a single day. The biggest ever "development" in a single day for Petrol and Diesel price in history. Historic achievement went unnoticed on that day.

Excise duty on diesel was Rs.3 in 2014. Today it is Rs.32. A massive increase of Rs.29 in excise duty in 7 years. Still some people say the centre govt is innocent. That’s why the price never decreases.

Originally Posted by vharihar

Do you not read the news about 8-lane Mumbai-Delhi expressway under construction, etc?

If they are building this using our own tax payer's money, then why there is toll? Not only me, you also pay Rs.18 as road infrastructure cess for a litre of petrol and diesel. Then why do you need to pay toll again as a double payment?

[Jude300]

Originally Posted by vharihar

Do you think these drop down from the sky in a jiffy? It takes work and time to build these. All countries have gone though this, you don't see it in those countries because they did it before you and I were born.

So please take back your statements about developmental investments and investments in public transport infrastructure.

You want to debate, be objective, rational and factual. If you want to opine without being factual, well, then I have no words for you.

Well, that's my personal opinion. I am not taking it back.

On the facts, they didn't fall from the sky before 2014 as well. We can discuss long lists of investments prior to 2014 as well which you are enjoying. If you are not biased bring them to the table too.

As a matter of fact whatever list you bring, our GDP doesn't reflect the impact of the investments from these heavy taxes collected. If you are happy to pay more to the government, please go ahead and do it. But as an individual I have a different opinion. Period.

Originally Posted by anb

If they are building this using our own tax payer's money, then why there is toll? Not only me, you also pay Rs.18 as road infrastructure cess for a litre of petrol and diesel. Then why do you need to pay toll again as a double payment?

Good point. I am paying nearly double the tolls on the same roads which might have fallen from the sky before 2014.

[superchamp]

Originally Posted by vharihar

My my, your observation skills must be poor! Do you not notice the metro construction works going on in *all* Tier 1 and Tier 2 and most Tier 3 and Tier 4 cities? Do you not see the EV vehicles delivered as public transport buses (under FAME-II subsidy) in an increasingly more number of cities (several in Mumbai and Pune)? Do you not see the AC local trains introduced in Mumbai with more on the .

To your point, these are responsibilities of a government and not just giving alms to the citizens of a country.
The nation thrives on taxes paid by hardworking people who pay income tax and is then taxed for every purchase starting from a matchbox. We also require return in terms of the taxes wepay. Not everything should be labelled as the poor are getting benefits. We will be poor in no time as well
[quote]
Do you not read the news about 8-lane Mumbai-Delhi expressway under construction, the Trans-Haryana expressway u/c, the Chenab bridge u/c on the Kashmir Rail link u/c, the Zojilla tunnel u/c, the swanky redeveloped railway stations at Bangalore Baiyappanahalli, Habibganj, Gandhinagar, etc? I'm not going to repeat the full list.

[quote]
To remind you, we have been paying toll at exorbitant rates for every usage on the highways, express ways etc..
You cannot hide this fact no matter what you claim.
Disclaimer: I don't associate with any political party and the views expressed are from my own free will

[RMN]

Regarding a political intervention on the price hikes, that's most likely never going happen. Now more than ever.

Remember reading an article from many months back where the leaders where questioned about the same and most of them replied along the lines that people need to move to EVs and protect the environment

Unlike before they have a "politically correct" reply for doing nothing.