New Delhi: India’s Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said on Monday said that the Central government is ready to bring petrol and diesel under the GST purview. However, he added that the states may not agree to this proposal because fuel and liquor are major revenue generators for them.
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“For bringing the petrol and diesel under the GST, the states have to agree. If the states make the move, we are ready. We have been ready all along. That’s my understanding. It is another issue how to implement it. That question should be addressed to the finance minister,” Hardeep Singh Puri said to the media persons.
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At the same time though, he noted that how would be implemented, is another issue altogether, and this should be addressed to the Finance Minister.
Puri also expressed doubts whether states would agree to bringing petrol and diesel under GST, as per the reports.
There are some countries in our neighbourhood which have fuel shortages, and prices are exorbitant. But we did not have shortages even in the remote areas of the country. It has been a very strong navigation at the level of the Centre and the states. What will happen in future it is difficult to say. During Covid in March 2020, the price of an oil barrel had come down to USD 19. 56 which is now USD 96. I don’t answer hypothetical questions but the efforts of the Central government will be that prices remain stable, he said.
(With PTI Inputs)