(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of
India (Marxist)
Vol. XXXVII
No. 06
February 10, 2013
Prakash Karat Writes to PM on Diesel Pricing
CPI(M)
general secretary, Prakash Karat has written a letter to the prime
minister on February 2, 2013, urging the government to reconsider its
decision to charge market rate for bulk consumers of diesel. The full
text of the letter is reproduced below.
THE government of India
has decided to charge the market rate of diesel for bulk consumers like
state transport undertakings, railways etc from January 18, 2013.
As a result, the state transport undertakings have to pay an extra Rs
11 to 12 per litre plunging them into a financial crisis. There
are reports of state transport corporations curtailing their services
and reducing the routes on which buses ply. Steps are being taken
to increase the bus fares. All this is going to badly
affect the common people who use public transportation.
This
withdrawal of subsidy for the supply of diesel to bulk consumers will
cripple the public transportation system at a time when the necessity
is for strengthening the public transportation system. The sharp
increase in private vehicles and traffic is causing rising pollution
and a major environmental problem. The only way out is to
restrict the expansion of private vehicles and to strengthen public
transport.
Instead of doing that, the government’s
retrograde decision is a serious blow to public transport and will lead
to further privatisation of transport services.
I,
therefore, urge you to reconsider the decision. You are requested to
restore the subsidy on diesel to bulk consumers like the state
transport undertakings which will be in the public interest.
People's Democracy