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Who subsidizes petroleum products?. Government Or People?. Government claims it subsidizes petrol and diesel. Every few months Central government raises price of petrol and diesel Reason: - Oil companies are making losses.
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Who subsidizes petroleum products? Government Or People?
Government claims it subsidizes petrol and diesel • Every few months Central government raises price of petrol and diesel • Reason: - Oil companies are making losses. - Government cannot afford to give more subsidy to oil companies So prices must be raised.
Half the price of petrol is taxes and duties • More than half the price of petrol is made up of taxes and duties collected by central and state government • In Delhi: Petrol price, before the increase of Rs 3.50 in Jun 2010 : Rs 47.93 per litre Central & state Taxes: Rs 24.60 per litre
One third of price of diesel is taxes and duties • More than one third of diesel is made up of taxes and duties collected by central and state governments • In Delhi: Price of diesel, before the increase of Rs 2 in Jun 2010 : Rs 38.10 per litre Central & state taxes: Rs 13.27 per litre
Taxes collected from people on petroleum products in 2008-09 • By Central Government: Rs 68,286 crore • By state governments: Rs 93,512 crore • Total taxes paid by people to central and state governments Rs 161,798 crore
Taxes collected from people on petroleum products are steadily rising
Higher the price the more tax paid • Both central and state government like higher price of petroleum products. • Taxes and duties are a percentage of the price. • Central excise duty on petrol: 2000-01 Rs 5.32 2010 Rs14.78 So, increase of nearly Rs 10 per litre in petrol price is due to higher duty collected by central government.
State governments collect more tax • State governments collect even more tax from petrol and diesel irrespective of whether ruled by UPA or NDA or Left parties. • Same parties make a show of protest when central government increases duties but keep quiet about what their state governments are doing. • Both central and state governments pursue anti-people taxation
People pay for increased profit of oil companies • The total subsidy to oil companies by central government in 2008-09, the worst year when crude oil price crossed $ 140/barrel: Rs 71,292 crore • Total taxes and duties paid by people in 2008-09: Rs 161,798 crore • During Apr-Dec 2009, subsidy to oil companies reduced to Rs 14,000 crore but price and tax paid by people further increased!!
New price policy • Central government announced in June 2010 there will be no control from now on price of petrol and diesel • Oil companies will revise price every month • So cost of transport of goods and people will keep rising steadily • Oil companies will make more profit; • Central and state governments will collect more taxes from people.
Latest burden on people • Petrol price increased by Rs. 5 per litre on 15 May 2011. • On 24 June, diesel price increased by Rs 3 per litre, kerosene by Rs. 2 per litre and LPG cylinder by Rs. 50 • The burden of June increases on people will be Rs 21,000 crore.
Petrol price revised frequently after decontrol • 26 Jun 2010 • 16 Dec 2010 • 16 Jan 2011 • 15 May 2011 • Total price increase of Rs 12 (nearly 25%) during last one year
Duties cut but for whom? • While announcing price increases on 24 June 2011, government lowered some of the taxes and duties: • Removed custom duty of 5% on crude oil • Reduced import duty on petrol and diesel from 7.5% to 2.5% • Reduced excise duty on diesel by Rs. 2.6 to Rs. 2 per litre
Benefit of lower taxes goes to petroleum companies and not to people • Total reduction in taxes and duties will be Rs. 49,000 crore in 2011-12. • Petroleum companies will earn this much more profit besides the additional profit due to rise in price of diesel and LPG.
High crude price is a bogey • Assume crude price as high as $107/barrel • One barrel equals 158.76 litre. • At 1$ = Rs. 45, crude price works out Rs 30 per litre only • Cost of refining is only around 50 paise/litre
Are people subsidized? • There is no subsidy to people on petrol, diesel, LPG or kerosene. • People are paying more and more every year so that - oil companies can make more profit - government can give more tax rebates to the rich