'We must see our economy also', says CM Bommai on further cut in fuel tax
Bengaluru, Apr 27: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday was non-committal on any further cut in fuel tax, as he maintained that any decision in this regard will be taken after looking at the economy of the state.
He said this as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday flagging higher fuel prices in many opposition-ruled states, urged them to reduce VAT in "national interest" to benefit the common man and work in the spirit of cooperative federalism in this time of global crisis.
"He (PM) gave an example. In November when the central government reduced excise duty, some states too reduced, it has benefited the people of the state and it is cooperative federalism. He said it will help if other states reduce tax as well, so that neighbouring states are not affected," Bommai told reporters in response to a question.
Asked whether there will be any more cut in fuel tax, with prices increasing, the Chief Minister said, "Let's see. We must see our economy also. Based on that, we will decide."
At his interaction with chief ministers of various states, on the emerging COVID-19 situation in the country via video conferencing, Modi raised the issue of many states not adhering to the Centre's call for reducing the Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel after his government slashed excise duties on fuel in November last year, and called it "injustice" to people living there and also harmful for neighbouring states.
In his remarks, Modi cited the example of Karnataka and Gujarat, both ruled by the BJP, saying they have suffered revenue loss of nearly Rs 5,000 crore and Rs 3,500-4,000 crore respectively by reducing VAT, but they did so to help people. Their neighbouring states did not, he added.
States like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala - all ruled by different opposition parties - have not reduced VAT for some reasons, and prices there are higher than other states, the Prime Minister said.
In November 2021, the Karnataka government had cut sales tax on petrol from 35 per cent to 25.9 per cent and on diesel from 24 per cent to 14.34 per cent, which resulted in petrol price reducing by Rs 13.30 per litre and diesel by Rs 19.47 per litre. Currently, a litre of petrol in Bengaluru costs Rs 111.09 and diesel at Rs 94.79.
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Over 17,000 people went missing in Delhi in 2024: NCRB
New Delhi (PTI): A total of 23,058 people, comprising 9,482 men and 13,576 women, were reported missing in Delhi in 2024, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
Of the total, 5,491 were children below the age of 18 — 1,571 boys, 3,920 girls.
The city recorded 17,567 fresh adult missing persons cases in 2024, comprising 7,911 men and 9,656 women.
According to the NCRB data, released on Wednesday, 14,637 men, 18,238 women and six transgender persons were still missing from previous years.
At the latest count, in 2024, Delhi had a total of 55,939 missing persons cases — 24,119 men, 31,814 women and six transgender persons.
In 2024, police traced or collected 28,392 missing persons, including 12,182 men, 16,208 women and two transgender persons.
Only half of the men and half of the women who went missing could be traced.
A total of 27,547 missing persons – 11,937 men, 15,606 women, four transgender persons — were yet to be untraced by the end of the year, the data showed.
The data also revealed that 5,352 children from previous years remained untraced at the beginning of 2024.
The number of still missing boys was 1,621, and the number of missing girls was 3,729. Two transgender children were yet to be found.
After adding the pending cases from previous years, the total number of missing children cases handled in 2024 rose to 10,843.
The police traced or recovered 6,762 missing children — 2,030 boys, 4,732 girls.
The recovery rate stood at 63.6 per cent for boys and 61.9 per cent for girls, while no transgender child was traced.
By the end of 2024, a total of 4,081 children remained untraced, 1,162 of them boys, 2,917 girls, and two transgender children.
