Fuel Prices Soar, Common Man Bear the Brunt as Transportation, Vegetables Gets Costly

GUWAHATI: Post pandemic when the whole country is heading back to normal, the fuel price across India including Assam has witnessed a steep hike in fuel oil which is proving to be a reason to worry among commoners.

The petrol price today in Kamrup Metro (Assam) is Rs. 89.00 per Litre which kept unchanged since January 27.

In the last 10 days, the petrol price in Kamrup Metro has been fluctuating between Rs 88.16 and Rs 89.00.

It is to be mentioned that in the last 10 days the prices of fuel oil has been a constant growth as it is market-determined.

Here is how the graph looks like in the last 10 days in Kamrup (M)

In Assam, the price of petrol, diesel, and liquor is said to come down from February 2021 as the state government will withdraw additional Covid related taxes from next month.

Earlier this month State's Finance, Health and Education Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "All the additional Covid taxes imposed during the COVID-19 epidemic will be withdrawn while I will present the vote on account."

Covid taxes on these products were levied by the government last year to revive the state economy devastated after the novel coronavirus hit the state.

Prices of petrol and diesel across the country are market-determined and attract uniform central excise duty, but their prices differ from state to state because of the wide variations in the local levies or value-added tax (VAT).

It is to be noted that taxes, duty and dealer's commission collectively rake up the cost of fuel which is one of the largest sources of indirect taxes for the government.

The Oil companies' executives said that petrol and diesel prices may increase further in coming days as retail prices may have to be balanced in line with the global developments to prevent OMCs from making losses on the sale of auto fuels.

PETROL TAXES

Cost of petrol minus levies and commission comprises only 32 per cent of what a buyer pays at the petrol pump station. Tax and duty components (total cost minus base price and dealer's commission) on petrol in Delhi comprise around 64 per cent or Rs 52.35 per litre.

The Centre charges Rs 32.98 (125 per cent of the base price) as excise plus the respective state government charges per litre on petrol Value-added Tax (VAT).

TAXES ON DIESEL

Dealer's commission is Rs 2.53 per litre on diesel against Rs 3.65 on petrol. The total tax and duty component on diesel are Rs 42.81 per litre. In percentage terms, the total tax on diesel is over 59 per cent. The Centre gets Rs 31.83 (over 117 per cent of the base price) per litre of diesel as excise duty.

Impact on Grocery 

It is to be noted here that the hike in the price of fuel oil has an advert effect on transportation when it comes to the inter-state movement of vehicles carrying groceries and other commodities.

The vegetables in Guwahati which are been sold are either procured from other districts or sold by individual vendors on a daily basis. With the rise in the fuel price, the vendors or the sellers are bound to levy an extra charge on the product which is finally borne by the end-user that is the consumer.

On doing a ground reality check in the common market areas of Guwahati- Mackhowa, Beltola, Uzan Bazar to name few have witnessed a steep hike in prices of vegetables and other meat products due to the rise in fuel price.

On the other hand, people travelling in private-public transport have also voiced their opinion on the abnormal hike in fares.

It is to be mentioned that a person who travels on Guwahati-Shillong road said the cabbies driving Swift Dzire (sedan) charges Rs 1,000 per head from Shillong to Guwahati and vice versa.

Furthermore, booking a cab from Shillong to Guwahati airport costs around Rs 4000. Meanwhile, Sumos are charging Rs 400-500 per head for the same journey.

Many drivers claim that the recent hike in the fare is the result of an increase in petrol prices.

With the Assam State Minister Himanata Biswa Sarma's assurance hope in coming days, the common man will breathe with ease once the Covid cess is removed.

Also Read: Steep Hike in Taxi Fare Disgust Tourists & Travellers in Meghalaya

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