Former Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday stated that rising prices of petrol and diesel are problematic, but they can’t be brought down because the government is saving money to spend on welfare schemes. The prices of petrol and diesel have seen a steep hike in the last few days, with petrol rupture the ₹100-mark in some cities across India.
In an interview conducted by ANI Pradhan said, “I accept that current fuel prices are problematic for people but be it central/state government, over ₹35,000 crores have been being spent on vaccines in a year. In such dire times, we’re saving money to spend on welfare schemes.” He also added, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved ₹1 lakh crore under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana scheme to give free foodgrain to the poor for eight months. Under PM-Kisan, thousands of crores have been directly deposited in the bank accounts of our farmers. The MSP was hiked recently. And all this is happening in the current year,”
On Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s constant attacks on the Modi government, Pradhan took a jibe at him and asked Congress governments in Maharashtra and Rajasthan to cut down the sales tax if the party was “that concerned about the burden on the common man.” He also added, “Rahul Gandhi must answer why fuel prices are high in Congress-ruled states like Punjab, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra. If he is so concerned about the poor, he should instruct the Maharashtra CM to reduce taxes, as fuel prices are very high in Mumbai.” The minister however desists from commenting on whether BJP ruled states, like Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, where petrol has crossed the Rs-100 mark, would do the same.
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