Pralhad Joshi
He alleged that milk prices had been increased twice since July, resulting in a cumulative hike of nearly 50%, while fodder prices had risen by 40%. Petrol and diesel prices had been raised three times, Cauvery drinking water charges by 10%, liquor prices by 20% and licence fees by 50%. Comparing fuel taxes, Joshi said the Centre’s tax on petrol stood at Rs 11 per litre, while the Karnataka govt’s share was Rs 30. On diesel, he said the Centre levied Rs 7.80 per litre compared with Rs 21 charged by the state. Defending the ethanol blending programme, he said India had achieved 20% ethanol blending, helping farmers and reducing dependence on crude oil imports.
Hubballi : Union minister Pralhad Joshi on Saturday accused the Congress-led Karnataka govt of turning Deepavali into a “festival of price hikes”, alleging that people have been burdened with repeated increases in the prices of essential commodities, taxes and public utility charges over the past three years. Electricity tariffs had also been increased twice, with a proposal for another hike, he said. Joshi said the BJP would roll back the price hikes if voted to power in Karnataka.
Addressing a news conference here, Joshi claimed that the state govt had been raising the prices of one commodity or service after another during its tenure. He also claimed that while sugarcane growers had waited years for payments under previous Congress regimes, dues are now cleared within a month.