"Govt To Loot 'Aam Aadmi' to Pay For The Games

The Delhi government on Monday presented a budget proposing to make bot- tled cooking gas, diesel and CNG costlier to fund the Common- wealth Games in October.

"This is a growth-oriented budget for the Games," said finance minister Ashok Kumar Walia, presenting his seventh budget. In plain English, Delhiites must pay more.

The government proposes to withdraw the Rs 40 subsidy on each LPG cylinder and increase VAT on diesel and CNG to hike prices by Rs 2.37 and Rs 1.09 a litre, respectively. If these pro- posals go through, expect hikes in taxi and auto fares.

"We'll demand increasing the fare of the first kilometre from Rs 10 to Rs 15," said Sobhran Singh Rajput, president, Bhartiya Tiphaiya Chaalak Sangh.

Walia justified the withdrawal of the LPG subsidy, saying: "We have been giving subsidies as long as it was feasible. They were costing us Rs 850 crore to Rs 1,000 crore."

This subsidy was announced in June 2008.
Taxes are going up on a host of other items such as high-end mobiles and apparel.

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With thanks : Source : Hindustan Times
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