I submit the following: (Its a combination of suggestions as well as a bit of a rant, so forgive me please)
1.The price rise in Fuel was inevitable bearing in mind the astronomical prices of crude in the international market. A correction of this kind was absolutely required since we are still being heavily subsidised.
2.However, while raising the prices, our govt has also reduced duties etc to minimise the impact on common people which must be appreciated.
3.Unfortunately they have forgotten one huge point;
All Branded products sold in India are sold on MRP basis - there is no price differentiation between Kashmir and Kanyakumari for example, for a LUX Soap. This despite the cost of excise, freight, octroi where applicable, entry taxes, etc etc etc. One cannot practice differential pricing strategies in India for branded products unlike in some other countries which is why we have MAXIMUM RETAIL PRICES here and Recommended or Suggested Retail Prices elsewhere.
4. Therefore by the same logic, why cant Fuel also be sold at a common MRP across India?
5.And again by the same logic, why cant a Car or Jeep or other vehicle be sold at the same MRP across India like other products are?
6.Why should a Fuel user in New Delhi for example (after this hike), pay only Rs 45 per litre of petrol when a similar user in Bangalore has to pay nearly Rs 60?
7. Why should there be this discriminatory policy between Union Territories and Other States?
(After all I think it is common knowledge that the largest and possibly most conspicuous consumption of Fuel happens in places like New Delhi/ NCR and the maximum number of people who actually buy big expensive cars and jeeps etc are based in that part of the country!- As a relative comparison with the rest of India. No offense meant please to anyone who lives in Delhi or other Union Territory)
Despite this, we all probably know in our heart of hearts that regardless of where we live, we, the great Indian Bourgeoisie, will still continue to drive our cars and jeeps everywhere and NOT bother to practice car pooling and other fuel / cost saving techniques. That is a tragedy according to me. I see it every day in my office - largely because people are a bit selfish and their timings dont match!
We all know inflation is already far above normal levels and this Fuel price rise will impact it by another 1% probably. Simple food and essential commodity costs will rise as will many other things.This, despite the fact that the powerful Truckers lobby already has ensured that the price hike in Diesel is less than for Petrol. Poor common people - what happens to the poor itinerant construction workers and our domestic help when their food costs rise above their capacity to pay?
This rise in Diesel prices will also impact our costs of Electricity and Power generation because our dear darling government in 60 odd years has still not been able to fully harness our immense potential for Hydro electric power as well as of course Nuclear Power (bad word and completely politically incorrect mind you!!).
Nor has the government really given us good alternative means of transport like good quality proper, clean public transport so that we can drive less and sit in a bus or train more like most people do abroad.
It doesnt look like we will ever implement things like "congestion charges" etc to discourage people from un-necessary use of their own vehicles within the cities - because probably we will have a Rahul Gandhi or someone being the first to flout the rule with their BMW X 5 or whatever!
And it is rather funny how you can already see the LEFT parties leaping up and down shouting about the adverse impact on the "common man" while still continuing to drive their fancy cars and sending their kids to Cambridge to study, like Monsieur Le Comrade Jyoti Basu! And anyone reading TOI Bangalore must have just seen that our dear darling pet monsters Yeddy and gang have all awarded themselves brand new Toyota Innova's - there was a picture of a rank of White Innovas in the papers yesterday! and apparently they get 500 litres of Fuel per month paid for by the state exchequer!! Man - thats really something isnt it? I think even at pretty Senior Corporate levels in the Pvt Sector, people dont get as much!!
It does make you sit up a bit and think doesnt it?