RBI governor Shaktikanta Das bats for cut in state taxes on petrol, diesel

NEW DELHI: Lending support to the Union government’s pitch for states to reduce sales tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das on Wednesday said a cut in VAT on fuel will help soften inflationary pressures as well as expectations.
The central government had on May 21 cut excise duty on petrol by a record Rs 8 per litre and that on diesel by Rs 6 to give relief to consumers battered by high fuel prices that have also pushed inflation to an all-time high. At that time, it asked states to lower VAT to further provide relief. Almost no state reduced VAT.
Announcing the bi-monthly monetary policy, Das said a quick survey of urban households undertaken after the excise duty cuts on petrol and diesel on May 21 showed a significant moderation in their inflation expectations.