The excise duty on petrol and diesel was hiked on Saturday, 14 March, by Rs 3 per litre as to deal with the falling oil prices in the international markets. Special excise duty on petrol was hiked by Rs 2 to Rs 8 per litre and to Rs 4 in case of diesel, an official notification said.
Hike in the road cess too
In addition to this, the road cess on petrol was also raised by Rs 1 per litre each on petrol and diesel to Rs 10.
This increase in the excise duty may lead to a steep increase in the prices of the fuels but most of which is to be adjusted with the fall in the global market rates.
The opposition condemned the government's move, as the senior left party Sitaram Yechury took to Twitter and stated that "at a time of great economic despair for common Indians for months now, joblessness, difficulties arising out of the pandemic and social strife, this govt's rich cronies get loan waivers, the rest of India gets excise hikes."
