MARGAO: On the occasion of Labour Day, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco urged the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on behalf of the COVID-19 frontline workers and those suffering due to lockdown to request the Prime Minister to reduce the Excise Duty and VAT.
Reginaldo also demanded raise in salary of the staff and not to cut, who have worked selflessly during the pandemic.
“On behalf of all COVID-19 frontline workers including poor people in State and across the country, the State government headed by our dynamic Chief Minister to request Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji in reducing the Excise Duty and VAT,” he said.
“The Chief Minister should plead to the Prime Minister to repeal the harsh amendment on Finance Bill 2020 of special Excise Duty on petrol and diesel,” he added.
“I also appeal to the Chief Minister to request Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji that the salaries or emoluments of all our frontline warriors such as government and private staff, doctors, nurses, sanitary staff, police etc who are involved selflessly in the fight against COVID-19 should be increased and not cut as it would be the biggest gift from our country to all these unsung heroes battling against the global pandemic,” requested Reginaldo.
He said, “In the midst of two Janata Curfews and the equal number of lockdowns coming into effect in the wake of the global pandemic coronavirus (COVID-19) people of India including Goemkars have not noticed the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s draconian amendment moved by her good self to the Finance Bill, 2020, for raising the limit through special Excise Duty on petrol and diesel to Rs 18 per litre and to Rs 12 per litre respectively,” highlighted Reginaldo.
“Sadly, the amendment along with the Finance Bill 2020 was passed without a debate in the Lok Sabha. It puzzles me and I am looking for credible answers as to how the Central government has arrived on the two rates for diesel and petrol and these rates are based under what provision?” Reginaldo asked
“The now and then rising fuel and LPG prices have been one of the most important failures of the BJP government at the Centre,” said Reginaldo.
“The BJP Central government had between November 2014 and January 2016 raised Excise Duty on petrol and diesel on nine occasions to take away gains arising from plummeting global oil prices,” informed Reginaldo.
