The Centre has hiked the windfall profit tax on the export of diesel to Re 1 per litre, while the tax on domestically produced crude oil has been cut by a fifth, according to an official order. The levy on crude oil produced by companies such as Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has been reduced to Rs 3,500 per tonne from Rs 4,400 per tonne, the order dated March 20 said.
The government raised the tax on export of diesel to Re 1 per litre from Rs 0.50, and the same on overseas shipments of ATF remains at nil. The new tax rates come into effect from March 21, the order said. The tax rates are reviewed every fortnight based on average oil prices in the previous two weeks. India first imposed windfall profit taxes on July 1 last year, joining a growing number of nations that tax supernormal profits of energy companies. At that time, export duties of Rs 6 per litre ($12 per barrel) each were levied on petrol and ATF and Rs 13 a litre ($26 a barrel) on diesel.
