This refers to ‘Bringing fuel under GST will take more time: Revenue Secretary Tarun Bajaj’ (July 4). Bajaj's latest averment did not come as a surprise. The GST Council does not seem inclined to bring the auto fuels under the ambit of GST despite the nationwide demand for it.

It is really sad and unfortunate the revenue savvy Centre and the States continue to boost their revenues by conveniently keeping petro products out of the GST.

It may be recalled that at its last meeting held at Chandigarh, the decisions taken by the Council dented the pockets of the common man fruther. One really wonders if the auto fuels would ever be brought under the GST regime.

Vinayak G

New Delhi

The Farm reforms quandary

Apropos ‘Farm reforms need a GST-like council’ (July 4), farm sector is riddled with countless issues right from sowing seeds till the crops are harvested, marketed and cash realisation is made.

Every government makes huge promises on doubling farmers’ income. But it fails to understand the existence of several hurdles that come in the way of farmers making their ends meet.

Farm credit is made available through PSBs, rural grameen banks, co-operative banks and through rural credit societies as per Scale of Finance fixed for each crop for his region or Tehsil, the high input cost, fertilisers and labour cost. But this credit still falls shorts of the farmers’ needs.

When the crops are taken to the market, the farmers face challenges of getting supportive MSP, pressure from middlemen, selling agents and the APMC.

Besides introduction of the Agricultural Reforms Acts crop-wise, the government should selectively implement the provisions of the Acts in a few States for a year or two and then replicate them to other States for all crops with improvised regulations.

RV Baskaran

Chennai

Tug-of-war

TRS chief and Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao is a known critic of Prime Minister Modi. But that is hardly surprising as he has national ambitions and is an Opposition leader. But by not receiving the Prime Minister thrice in the last five months does not befit his stature, given that he holds a constitutional post.

To make matters worse, after ignoring the Prime Minister he received Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha. Such political animosity should be kept aside. Because such developments do not send a positive signal in Indian politics, which is anyhow becoming murkier by the day.

Bal Govind

Noida

Taxing fuel

The Centre’s decision to slap new taxes on fuel exports had an air of inevitability about it. The move serves the dual purpose of fetching more revenue by tapping the phenomenal gains made as a result of the surging global prices amid the Ukraine war, and to discourage the export of petrol and diesel to ease the fuel situation in the domestic market. The sudden shortage of fuel at retail outlets across the country last month was attributed to a boost in exports for higher overseas margins, and the reluctance to sell fuel at a loss in the domestic market since retail prices had not increased despite international crude getting costlier and the rupee depreciating.

Hence, the Finance Minister’s assertion that the stiff tax measures should be seen in the context of the extraordinary times and not merely as disapproval of or any grudge over profit-making by exporting fuel. The message makes it clear that the national interest of securing fuel supplies and avoiding artificial scarcity in the domestic market overrides other considerations.

N Sadhasiva Reddy

Bengaluru

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