The government is not planning to raise excise duty on petrol and diesel to mop up gains accruing from oil prices that slumped to six-and- half year low, unless oil falls to $30 (per barrel) level. In the past year, taking advantage of the lower crude oil prices, the government had raised excise duty on petrol and diesel between November and January in four installments totalled Rs 7.75 per litre on petrol and Rs 6.50 a litre on diesel. But for the excise duty hikes, consumers would have benefited by reduction in retail rates to that extent.
The four excise duty hikes between November and January had led to about Rs 20,000 crore in additional revenue to the government, which helped to meet its fiscal deficit target. The drop in international oil prices will translate into cut in retail selling price of petrol and diesel at the month end if the government was not to take away gain before that.
Despite excise duty hikes, petrol prices have been cut by Rs 10.40% litre in several installments since July 2014. In the past tax on petrol and diesel was first hiked by Rs 1.5 per litre from November 12. Then again from December 2, the excise duty on petrol was raised by Rs 2.25 per litre and by Re 1 on diesel. This was followed by government hiking excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre each from January 2 and a similar proportion from January 16.
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