Center sitting on fuel tax Rs 25 lakh cr; Oil price will dominate parliamentary session: Congress

Stating that the issue of inflation and rising fuel prices will dominate the session of parliament from July 19, top Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said on Monday that the Center raised 25 lakh crore through the fuel tax, but that it does not use that fund for welfare. people or give it to state governments.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, opposition leader Rajya Sabha said Narendra Modi’s government had made the lives of ordinary people “miserable” for the past seven years.

The prices of fuel, LPG, edible oil are at an all time high. The Center has collected Rs 25 lakh crore as a tax on fuel, but it is not used for the welfare of the people or given to state governments, ”Kharge said.

He said the Modi government had increased fuel prices “326 times including 38 times in the past two months”.

“The central fuel tax during the UPA rule was Rs 9.48 (per liter) which is now Rs 32.90 (per liter). During the UPA’s tenure, the rate of crude oil was Rs 111 per barrel and the price of oil was Rs. 71 (per liter). Unlike that, when the crude oil rate is $ 44 per barrel, the price of gasoline is currently Rs 107 per liter, ”he said.

He said that although the Union government “collected Rs 25 lakh crore from the fuel tax” and the rate of LPG cylinders reached Rs 834, the subsidy was also removed.

The Prime Minister had said that the direct transfer of benefits (DBT) would guarantee savings of 15,000 crore rupees, which means the government has saved almost one crore rupee this way. But the Modi government does not not using that money for the welfare of the people and also not providing it to state governments, ”Kharge said.

He said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had suggested that Rs 6,000 be transferred to the bank accounts of the poor, but this idea was rejected.

“During the reign of the UPA, 27.1% of people were raised above the poverty line while 23 million people were below the poverty line (BPL) last year. Modi government policies, the income of 97% of families had declined, ”Kharge said.

He said 1.33 lakh people lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic as per capita income fell by 10,000 rupees and GDP fell 9-10%.

Kharge said Maharashtra had yet to receive Rs 32,000 crore in GST reimbursement from the Center.

Congress is one of the ruling constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government comprising the Shiv Sena and the NCP.