Guntur: Sell petrol at `60, diesel for `50: CPI to govt

Guntur: Communist Party of India State assistant secretary Muppalla Nageswara Rao demanded the government to sell petrol at Rs 60 and diesel at Rs 50 per litre for the convenience of people.

He felt that increasing the prices of petrol and diesel will have cascading effect.

He was addressing a press meet at Malliahlingam Bhavan here on Thursday. He said that Central and State governments are imposing taxes on the fuel and that is the reason for rise in prices of fuel. If the same situation continues, domestic gas cylinder prices will touch Rs1000 very soon. He said the Central government is gradually reducing the subsidy on the domestic gas cylinder.

He warned that if the Central and State governments do not take steps to reduce prices of fuel, they will launch protests.

He added that the State government did not take precautionary measures to overcome the power crisis in the State caused by shortage of coal. He said if precautionary measures were taken, there was no need to purchase power at Rs 20 per unit. He demanded the government to take steps to purchase paddy for MSP.

CPI district secretary J Ajay Kumar was also present.