Kalburgi: Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday announced the coalition government’s decision to cut petrol and diesel prices by Rs 2 per litre.
The announcement comes in the wake of political pressure building against India’s state governments in the wake of rising fuel prices.
In the last month, the Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Kerala governments have reduced fuel prices.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has cut taxes on fuel by Rs 2 and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by Re 1.
“Today, this coalition government has decided to reduce both petrol and diesel prices by Rs 2 per litre,” Kumaraswamy, who heads a JD(S)-Congress government, said while addressing an event here.
Fuel prices have been climbing since August 16.
The rising fuel prices have created a political storm with the Opposition launching a scathing attack against the Narendra Modi government, which has cited international factors for it.
As The Wire has reported, a combination of excessive Central and state taxes contribute to as much as 42% of the cost of petrol and diesel in India. Fuel prices are the steepest in Maharashtra and the lowest in Andaman and Nicobar.
The Modi government, which hiked excise duty on auto fuels nine times in the last four years and then reduced it slightly, has placed blame on high petrol and diesel prices on state governments.
(With PTI inputs)