Centre reduces fuel prices by Rs 2.50; Gujarat, Maharashtra follow

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said the Centre is slashing the oil duty of Rs 1.50 and another one rupee which the government charges from oil marketing firms.

Making the announcement, Jaitley said as he has been quoted by NDTV, "I am sure the states will also start delivering immediately."

Following the Centre's step, the Gujarat and Maharashtra governments reduced another Rs 2.50 per litre on fuel prices, making it a cut of total Rs 5 in the two particular states.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani tweeted, "Finance Minister Sh @arunjaitley Ji has announced Rs.2.5 cuts in petrol & diesel prices, reciprocating positively to FM’s announcement, the Govt Of Gujarat has also decided to reduce Rs.2.50 on both petrol & diesel. Thus petrol & diesel wd be Rs. 5 cheaper in the State of Gujarat."

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took to Twitter to announce the price cut. He tweeted, " Maharashtra Government also decided to give additional relief of ₹2.5/litre on Petrol to give total benefit of ₹5/litre in the State of Maharashtra. "

The petrol and diesel prices in Delhi (national capital) are being sold at Rs 84 and Rs 75.45 per one litre on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan government had earlier slashed four percent Value Added Tax (VAT) to reduce the petrol and diesel prices by Rs. 2.5. 

The Kerala and West Bengal government had announced a fuel price cut of Rs 1 per litre.

The fuel price hike is one of the recent issues which the opposition parties are using to corner the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government, in the run up to 2019 General Elections. 

Earlier in September, the Congress along with several other political parties including the Left had even called a Bharat Bandh (nationwide shutdown) to protest the fuel price hike.

Image: twitter.com/arunjaitley