Govt cuts windfall tax on crude petroleum
New Delhi (PTI): The government has cut windfall tax on domestically produced crude oil to Rs 8,400 per tonne from Rs 9,600 per tonne with effect from Wednesday.
The tax is levied in the form of Special Additional Excise Duty (SAED).
The SAED on the export of diesel, petrol and jet fuel or ATF, has been retained at nil. The new rates are effective from May 1, an official notification said.
India first imposed windfall profit taxes on July 1, 2022, joining a host of nations that tax supernormal profits of energy companies.
The tax rates are reviewed every fortnight based on average oil prices in the previous two weeks.
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Bengaluru GCC employees face long commutes, Wednesdays busiest for office travel: Report
Bengaluru: Employees working in Bengaluru’s Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are spending close to an hour commuting one way, according to MoveInSync’s quarterly report for 2025. The report, released on Tuesday, highlights the increasing commuting challenges faced by professionals in the city, especially along high-density office corridors like Outer Ring Road (ORR), Whitefield, and Electronics City.
On average, GCC employees in Bengaluru commute 15 kilometres in about 50 minutes. While the city accounts for nearly 30 percent of all GCCs in India, it has seen a 41 percent increase in the number of centres between 2019 and 2024. This growth, combined with inadequate infrastructure and congested roads, has worsened the daily travel experience for employees.
The report, based on commute data from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and the National Capital Region, revealed that hybrid work models are now common across most GCCs, with employees typically reporting to office two to three times a week. Of these, Wednesday has emerged as the busiest day, with cab bookings peaking at around 82,000, compared to 61,000 on Fridays.
Commute patterns also vary by industry. Employees in the industrial and energy sectors travel the farthest—16 km in about 53 minutes. Those in entertainment and gaming have shorter commutes, averaging 11 km in 31 minutes. The pharma and healthcare sector recorded the shortest commute time at 47 minutes over 12 km.
The report noted an encouraging shift towards green mobility, with Bengaluru employees completing approximately 45,000 electric vehicle (EV) trips every month.
MoveInSync CEO and co-founder Deepesh Agarwal emphasized the need for better commute planning. “Providing commute as a service can help companies attract and retain talent. Efficient and sustainable commuting solutions must balance cost, safety, and environmental concerns,” he said.
However, employees working in and around the Outer Ring Road said poor traffic management continues to be a major problem. A senior executive at a GCC remarked that poorly managed metro construction sites, road encroachments, and lack of accessible public transport were making daily commutes unmanageable. “Some people spend over 90 minutes just to reach the ORR stretch. That’s a lot of wasted time,” the executive noted.
Rama NS, advisor to the Electronics City Industries Association (ELCIA), said the completion of the Yellow Line of the Namma Metro could significantly improve commute experience in the coming years. “Beyond reducing travel time, this metro line will help reduce pollution and discomfort caused by long journeys. Improving first-mile connectivity to metro stations will also make a big difference,” she said.
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