Central government could fetch much-more revenue from some practical steps rather than by raising price of petrol and diesel by rupees two per litre in the Union Budget for 2019-20. Since distribution of petrol and diesel is done only by four public-sector oil-companies under control of Union Ministry of petroleum, new mechanism should be set up whereby prices once hiked may not be roll-back even in case of international price-fall of crude oil. Extra money so earned could be better utilised to bear loss in case of price-rise of crude-oil thus maintaining uniform pricing for quite some time rather than daily-change in prices of petrol and diesel. It is significant that price of commodities and transportation once raised because of rise of fuel-price, is never rolled back in case of fall in fuel-price. Discounts on petrol and diesel purchased by affluent class through credit-cards should be abolished.
Since government is the biggest user of petroleum products, Union Government apart from cutting down its own expenditure should launch austerity drive by announcing stiff measures for a drastic cut in consumption of petrol and diesel including installation of GPS in all government-vehicles to check large-scale misuse of government-vehicles for private purpose. Only economical cars should be purchased at cost of public-exchequers except for use of President, Vice President, Prime Minister and foreign dignitaries. Car-loans should also be only for economical cars. Costlier cars should bear double GST (in form of cess), road-tax and other levies. LPG subsidy should be only on filing affidavits about combined family-incomes rather than government expecting voluntary surrendering subsidy from those with high family-income.
MADHU AGRAWAL