Assam: Fuel price hike adds to toll tax blow

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Following the Lok Sabha elections in the state, there is now additional pressure on people's pockets as the VAT on petrol and diesel has been hiked in Assam, along with a nation-wide increase in the toll tax on national highways.

In the run-up to the Lok Sabha election, people had been complaining about the hike in the price of essential commodities, which was already burning a hole in their pockets.

Recently, the state Finance (Taxation) Department issued a notification announcing a hike in the value-added tax on petrol and diesel. After the notification came into effect on June 5, the prices of petrol and diesel in the state were hiked by one rupee or more. On Thursday (June 6), the price of normal petrol from Indian Oil in Guwahati stood at Rs 97.14 per litre. Before the increase in VAT, the price was Rs. 96.13 per litre. The price, therefore, increased by Rs. 1.01. Similarly, the price of premium petrol was hiked by Rs 1.20 per litre. As of date, the price of one litre of premium petrol in Guwahati is Rs 103.94. Until June 4, it was Rs 102.72 per litre.

The price of diesel in Guwahati on Thursday stood at Rs 89.38 per litre. This marked an increase of Rs 1 over the price prior to the increase in VAT amount. The price earlier was Rs. 88.38 per litre.

When this correspondent of The Sentinel visited a fuel depot near Last Gate in Dispur today, he met a bank employee of a private bank in the city, who said, "The people were already suffering from the high cost of petrol and diesel even before the election. During the election, the price of eggs and broiler chicken increased as well. This further hike in fuel prices will burn a bigger hole in our pockets."

Meanwhile, from midnight on June 3, there was a nation-wide hike in the toll tax in plazas on the national highways, which was imposed by NHAI. The rate of increase varied from 3 to 5% over the prevailing rates. The impact of this hike on the toll tax also impacted people in Assam, with the increase in the tax imposed on both commercial and private vehicles. At present, there are nine toll plazas operational in the state.

To cap it all, the people are being made to bear the burden of the hike in fuel prices as well as the increase in toll tax.

 Also Read: Assam: Fuel Prices Surge in Assam Following Lok Sabha Election Results (sentinelassam.com)

Also Watch: