From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Mar 30: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ruled out any roll back of increase in sales tax on petrol and diesel from April 1.

With the clarification from the Chief Minister, who is also handling the finance portfolio, the prices of petrol and diesel in Karnataka would increase by Rs. 1.89 and 98 paisa per litre from Friday April 1.

Siddaramaiah, who replied to the discussion on the State Budget proposals on Wednesday, said sales tax on petrol has been increased from 26 per cent to 30 per cent and while on diesel from 16.65 per cent to 19 per cent.

Defending the hike in sales tax on fuel, he said the Centre has increased the excise duties on petrol and diesel four times when prices of fuel decline from $ 130 to $ 28 a barrel.

However, the State government has not increased the sales tax in order to ensure that the people were not burdened.

The State Government has not raised the taxes on diesel and petrol in the middle of the year and the benefits have been passed on to the consumers.

The Chief Minister said continuous fall in the crude prices has reduced commercial tax collection by Rs 800 crore in 2015-16. Hike in fuel prices would not hit hard the poor and common people.

Taxes on commodities used by the poor has been reduced from 14.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent, he said and appealed to BJP members to put pressure on the Centre to reduce fuel prices.

The Chief Minister also ruled out waiver of crop loans and said that wavier of loans would burden the State exchequer over Rs 10,000 crore.

House passes Cooperative Societies Bill

The State Legislative Assembly passed the Karnataka Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2016, to amend the Karnataka Cooperative Societies Act, 1959, for enhancing the maximum number of members of board cooperative societies to accommodate separate membership for persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Tribes.

The Bill enables moving a motion of no-confidence against office-bearers in cooperative societies; clarity regarding the powers of the State government in respect of revision petitions; and removal of difficulty in bridging the provisions of the Act into force.

The Assembly also passed the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Taxation Bill, 2016; the Karnataka Taxation Laws Bill, 2016; and the Karnataka Stamp (third amendment) Bill, 2016, and Karnataka Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2016, to give effect to the proposals in the State budget for 2016-17.