Excise cuts won't change fuel price for consumers, relief only in narrative: Congress
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Friday claimed that the government's
excise cuts will not change prices for dealers and consumers, and that the relief exists only in the narrative, not in reality.
The government has slashed excise duty on petrol to Rs 3 per litre and exempted diesel fully from the duty.
The Congress said the government should focus on delivering actual relief to consumers, instead of "manufacturing headlines and fooling people."
The party's media and publicity department head, Pawan Khera, said, "If you saw the headlines about petrol and diesel prices 'coming down' and thought the government had offered relief to your pocket, you'd be mistaken."
As of now, prices remain the same for dealers and for consumers, he claimed.
"What has actually been reduced is the 'special additional excise duty' — a levy paid by Oil Marketing Companies to the government. The words 'special' and 'additional' reveal how unnecessary this tax is," Khera said on X.
He pointed out that these companies have been absorbing losses since the outbreak of the conflict in West Asia.
"The government has now merely agreed to share a small part of that burden but reducing the 'special additional' levy - that too almost a month later," the Congress leader said.
"Relief exists but only in the narrative -- not in reality. Instead of manufacturing headlines and fooling people, the government should focus on delivering actual relief to consumers," Khera said.
Global crude prices have risen by almost 50 per cent since the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran on February 28, triggering sweeping retaliation from Tehran.
In a notification issued late on March 26, the Finance ministry cut excise duty to Rs 3 a litre, from Rs 13 a litre earlier, while the levy on diesel was slashed to nil from Rs 10 earlier. The duty cuts are effective immediately, the ministry said.
Despite the spike in international prices, retail pump rates have not been changed, putting a strain on the finances of oil companies.
The government cuts stand to give some relief to oil companies.
Tracking the excise duty cut notification, shares of fuel retailers IOC, BPCL and HPCL opened higher on BSE.
International oil prices touched USD 119 per barrel earlier this month, before pulling back to around USD 100 per barrel.
India imports 88 per cent of its crude oil and roughly half of its natural gas. These mostly come via the Strait of Hormuz.
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Karnataka records 274 springs in first statewide census, majority located in Western Ghats
Hubballi: In its first-ever comprehensive census conducted during 2023-24, Karnataka has identified 274 natural springs across the State with 144 classified as perennial, 114 as seasonal and 16 reported to have dried up.
The enumeration was carried out by the Karnataka Minor Irrigation and Groundwater Development Department in association with the Groundwater Directorate as part of a Union government initiative, according to a Deccan Herald report. Officials were quoted as saying that the nine-month exercise involved field visits to nearly all identified springs. These springs were digitally mapped using a dedicated mobile application.
Belagavi district recorded the highest number of springs at 59, followed by Uttara Kannada with 31, while Chamarajanagar and Kodagu reported 23 each. Dharwad, Ramanagar, Bengaluru Rural, Davangere and Kolar districts have one spring each.
Bendru Teertha in Dakshina Kannada is the only hot spring documented in the State, which is attributed to a distinct hydrological formation. Springs in Talacauvery in Kodagu, Javali in Chikkamagaluru and Ambutheertha in Shivamogga, are the source points of major rivers such as the Cauvery, Hemavathi and Sharavathi.
According to the directorate, springs are natural discharge points where groundwater flows to the surface through openings in the earth’s crust, which occur when the water table intersects with the ground surface or when groundwater is forced out through fractures, faults or permeable rock layers.
The Western Ghats and Malnad regions, covering districts like Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Belagavi and Shivamogga, account for a significant share of the springs due to high rainfall and favourable geological conditions.
K B Rajendra, Director of the Groundwater Directorate, was quoted by Deccan Herald as saying that nearly 80 per cent of the springs are located in rural areas. He noted that apart from those associated with religious or historical sites, most springs remain open and lack protective measures.
Noting their vital contributions to drinking water supplies and agricultural irrigation, especially in areas with hills and mountains, Rajendra said that these springs help maintain the flow of rivers and streams when the weather is dry, thereby supporting ecological balance and promoting biodiversity.
He added that the census findings would serve as a database for conservation, rejuvenation efforts, groundwater management and long-term water resource planning in the State.
