Bhubaneswar: Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today suggested the Odisha government to cut down taxes on fuel in order to bring its prices under control across the State. Apart from this, he slammed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for allegedly adopting casual attitude towards various corruption charges against his party members.
Putting the ball on Naveen-led Odisha government’s court, Pradhan stated, “Many States have reduced taxes on fuel and the Odisha Government should follow their footsteps.”
“If the rate of crude oil increases in international market, the States actually get the benefit. In 2014, the Odisha government was collecting less than Rs 3,000 crore tax from fuel and now it has increased to Rs 7,000 crore. Therefore, the State should cut the tax on fuel,” Pradhan added.
On corruption charges against different members and leaders of BJD, Pradhan said, “Naveen babu was never serious in curbing corruption.”
“Those who were expelled from the party earlier for indulging in corrupt activities have currently become his main associates. He is their ringleader,” alleged Pradhan.
BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb reacted sharply to Pradhan's suggestion on cut in taxes levied on petroleum products.
“The Centre which was charging six per cent excise duty on petrol is currently levying 19 per cent whereas the excise duty on diesel has increased to 15 per cent,” stated Deb.
“I want to ask what the Central government did with the taxes that it collected during the four and half years of reign,” said Deb.
“The BJP has done nothing for Odisha during its tenure. The public knows it all and this in an attempt of the BJP to cover up its faults,” Deb lambasted Pradhan over the latter’s allegations of corruption against the BJD government.