Dimapur, May 3 (MExN): The National People’s Party (NPP) Nagaland on Sunday voiced resentment against the Nagaland Government’s decision to impose a COVID-19 cess on prices of fuel stating that the decision was “bereft of any possible logic.”
“…The leaders of the ruling government are falling short of expectations so much so that they are now taking inhuman decisions thereby neglecting the well-being and economic welfare of the common people,” it said in a press release appended by NPP Nagaland President and General Secretary.
The state government on April 28 issued a notification stating that COVID-19 Cess of Rs 5 per litre will be levied on diesel and Rs 6 per litre on Petrol and other motor spirit, in addition to existing rate of tax and cess. The move drew the attention of several organisations, many of whom raised concerns that the decision will be detrimental to the fragile economy.
In the press release, NPP Nagaland stated that the prices of commodities are already at an all time high due to illegal hoarding of goods by the shopkeepers and the additional cess will give them another opportunity to raise the prices. “This is happening right under the nose of the authorities who are not even monitoring the price rise,” it claimed.
“NPP Nagaland is flabbergasted that instead of bringing about certain economic reforms and allaying the financial burden of the people especially of the daily wage earners, it has resorted to levying an inhuman and illogical cess on the prices of fuel which will double the burden of the common people as it will unduly result in price rise across the state which is akin to adding salt to the injury of the people,” it said.
Condemning the ‘arbitrary action’ of the State Government, the NPP further stated that much of the humanitarian efforts have been shouldered by numerous NGOs and civic bodies who have donated to the needy people, thereby, indirectly lessening the burden of the State Government. It pointed out that the Central Government has already issued a lot of people-centric schemes for the benefit of the public at this time of utter need and distress, “However, the State Government has always tried its best to take the people of Nagaland for a ride by not making public those schemes and benefits received from the Centre and at the same time not being transparent on the utilisation of funds,” it alleged.
“The State Government and its leaders must instead seek the betterment of public life instead of taking undue advantage out of the grim situation of the pandemic,” it said.
Further, the Party, while acknowledging that the state’s economy is not healthy when compared with most of our neighboring states, however, pointed out that the state is “not acutely affected by the corona virus” like other states where hundreds of people have lost their lives. “Nagaland had just one positive case which was also transferred for treatment to Assam where he has been successfully cured,” it said.
As such, it questioned the state government as to why it “needs so much additional funds when the Central Government has already poured in huge amounts of money and when the H&FW department has already professed that it is adequately equipped with all infrastructures to meet the eventualities of the pandemic.”
“Not even 2 months of the lockdown has passed and our financial position is in shambles and our State Government seems to be on its knees with a begging bowl,” it stated.
It also demanded “a satisfactory reply from the State Government” as to why such “huge amount of cess has been levied on fuel all of a sudden…especially at a time when fuel prices have decreased considerably in the international market.”
“Such an arbitrary taxation is nothing short of a day-light robbery on the common people,” the release stated.
