Petrol, Diesel, Liquor To Become Cheaper In Assam Ahead Of Election

With effect from Friday midnight, duty on petrol, diesel and liquor has been reduced by the state government of Assam.

Presenting a vote-on-account for an aggregate expenditure of Rs 60,784.03 crore in the House, the state's Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma withdrew an additional cess on petrol and diesel, making the fuels cheaper by Rs 5 per litre in Assam.

"Speaker sir, at the peak of COVID-19, we had levied additional cess on petrol, diesel and liquor. Now, the number of patients has reduced... I am grateful to my cabinet colleagues who agreed to my proposal this morning to rescind this additional cess. Hence, petrol and diesel will become cheaper by Rs 5 per litre with effect from midnight tonight, benefiting lakhs of consumers across Assam," Sarma said in his speech, according to a PTI report.

Moreover, the state government reduced liquor duty by 25%.

The finance minister presented the vote-on-account for an aggregate expenditure of Rs 60,784.03 crore in the state Assembly for the first six months of the current fiscal.

Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) rose from Rs 2,02,080.85 crore to Rs 2,48,796.15 crore between 2016-17 and 2019-20 at constant prices.

The annual growth rate stood at 7.71% in the period as against the rate of 6.11% at the national level.

The elections to the 126-member state assembly are likely to be held in March-April.

The relief on fuel prices comes as good news as petrol price in Guwahati touched Rs 90.41 in Guwahati on Friday, while diesel price soared to Rs 84.29 in the state.

In other major cities, petrol prices per litre rose to Rs 88.14 in New Delhi, Rs 89.44 in Kolkata, Rs 94.64 in Mumbai and Rs 90.44 in Chennai.

Diesel prices per litre increased to Rs 78.38 in New Delhi, Rs 81.96 in Kolkata, Rs 85.32 in Mumbai and Rs 83.52 in Chennai.