Post the Budget presented today morning wherein first the finance minister made the common man happy by raising the slab of IT on income earned, news after that took the smiles away – price hike in petrol and diesel by Rs 2.67 and Rs 1.50 (Delhi).
The price hike in petrol which was kind of expected by everyone still didn’t go down well specially with people who have recently purchased cars.
“The hike will make a lot of difference to me as I drive everyday to work and rise in prices mean that much more burning of the pocket. Even if I assume that I get a 15% hike in salary, I will still be spending a lot of money as fuel price rise which means commodity prices will also rise as transportation costs would go high,†said Sachin Mule, who last year bought an Maruti Alto Spice and is a sales professional.
Mani Nair, a media professional and who drives a Maruti 800 says that the move was expected and that it didn’t surprise him. “The prices were reduced citing the elections last year and this hike was long overdue. I am glad that he didn’t play the populist card and was frank of presenting his budget.†“I am glad I have a Maruti, it gives me a good mileage,†he says with a wink.
Meanwhile, Mule thinks that it was a smart move by the finance minister to increase the IT slab which would help people save more but on the other hand hiking petrol prices mean invariably you would be spending it on petrol or commodities. “Ultimately, the bank balance remains the same,†he quips.
The price hike declared is the Delhi rate and the expected rise in Mumbai is around Rs 3, which means a litre of petrol will go once again the Rs 50 slab. Another 27-something, working for a leading private sector bank and who recently bought a Hyundai i10 said, “The price hike is surely a bad news. So now an Rs 1000 fill will not give more than 19 litres which is almost half the tank capacity.â€
The price hike is likely to be implemented from today midnight. So those who wish to tank up, run!
