The diktat of the cruel, the cumbersome & the back-breaking ‘Price Rise’ imposed by the Modi Government with effect from April 1st has shattered the budget of every household in India. “MEHANGAI” is a “daily event” being celebrated to mock the people by BJP & Modi Govt. BECAUSE … “Modi Hai Toh Yehi Mumkin Hai”!

The gory story of BJP-Modi Govt.’s “Loot, Rob & Fleece” is:

1. Taxing the 62 Crore Farmers: Modi Govt. is seeking revenge against India’s Annadatas for the Kisan Aandolan. Price of DAP bag of 50 kg has been increased by 150 per bag, taking it from 1200 to 1350 per bag. India’s farmers consume 1,20,00,000 tonnes (1.20 Lakh Cr tonnes) DAP every year. The additional burden on farmer comes to 3,600 Crores. Price of NPKS bag of 50 kg has been increased by 110 per bag, taking it from 1290 to 1400 per bag. The additional burden on farmer comes to 3,740 Crores.
2. “Daily Good Morning Gift” of rise in price of Petrol-Diesel: Today is the 10th increase in prices of Petrol & Diesel in last 12 days. The price of Petrol & Diesel has gone up by 7.20/litre across India. As per Govt. of India’s ‘Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell’, consumption of Petrol in the year 2020-21 was 27,969 thousand metric tonnes. At a price increase of 7.20/litre the additional yearly burden on people comes to ` 20,138 Crores.

As per Govt. of India’s ‘Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell’, consumption of Diesel in the year 2020-21 was 72,713 thousand metric tonnes. At a price increase of 7.20/litre the additional yearly burden on people comes to 52,353 Crores.

When Congress-UPA government was in power, Petrol and Diesel was at Rs. 71.41 and Rs. 55.49 per litre respectively, which have now been increased to Rs. 102.6/litre and Rs. 93.87/litre in Delhi. In May, 2014 (when BJP assumed power), Excise Duty on Petrol was Rs.9.20 per litre and on Diesel was Rs.3.46 per litre. In the last eight years, the BJP Government has increased the Excise Duty on Petrol by an Additional 18.70 per litre and on Diesel by an Additional Rs.18.34 per litre. This is a shocking 531% hike in Excise Duty on Diesel and 203% increase in Excise Duty on Petrol.

Modi Government has earned Rs.26,00,000 Crores (26 Lakh Crore) in eight years by increasing Excise Duty on Petrol and Diesel alone.

3. The body blow of LPG Gas Cylinder prices: On April 01, Commercial Gas Cylinder price was hiked by Domestic cooking gas prices were hiked by 250 per cylinder. It has been hiked by 346 in the last 2 months. In last 8 years of BJP rule, the Commercial LPG Cylinder has seen a massive hike of 845. Domestic Gas Cylinder price was hiked by 50 on March 22, 2022. Since March 2021, the price hike for Domestic Gas Cylinder is 140.50. As per Govt. of India’s ‘Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell’, consumption of LPG in the year 2020-21 was 27,384 thousand metric tonnes. At a price increase of 140.50 per cylinder, the additional yearly burden on people comes to ` 27,095 Crores.

4. Attack on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG): CNG is now the fuel of the common man for autos, taxis, buses, trucks and for cars as people are unable to afford Petrol & Diesel. On April 1, CNG price was hiked for the sixth time in a month. A hike of 80 paise per kg has made CNG costlier by 4 per kg in the last month alone. It is now priced at†60.81 per kg in Delhi but varies upto 79.49/Kg in other cities. As per Government of India’s CNG consumption data of 2019-20, CNG consumption in India is 3,247 thousand metric tonnes. Based on this, year 2021-22 consumption of CNG is estimated at 3,500 thousand metric tonnes. At 4 per kg this month, the additional burden on people comes to ` 1,400 Crores.

5. Skyrocketing prices of Piped Natural Gas (PNG): On April 1, PNG has been hiked by 5 per SCM in Delhi and 5.85 per SCM in Noida. Earlier, on March 24, PNG was hiked by 1 per SCM in Delhi. Hence, total increase in last one month is 6 per SCM in Delhi. According to Government data/PNG companies, average PNG consumption per household is 15 SCM per month. There are a total of 89 Lakh PNG connections in India. Based on this and at a price increase of 6 per SCM per month, the additional burden on people comes to 961.20 Crores.

6. Toll Tax burns a hole in people’s pocket: With effect from April 1, Toll Tax on National Highways has been hiked by 10-18%. The annual collections of Toll Tax by GOI in the year 2020-21 were 28,458 Crores. In the year, 2021-22, Toll Tax collections are expected to be 34,000 Cr (As per Shri Nitin Gadkari).At 18% hike, the additional burden on travelling public will be ` 6,120 Crores.

7. Taxing Medicines Taxing the Patients: Modi Govt. has not even spared ill patients. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has announced a hike of 10.76% in prices of around 800 essential drugs from April 1. Common Medicines like Paracetamol, Fever Medicines like Azithromycin, Ciprofloxacin, Metronidazole and other medicines for COVID-19 care, heart disease, high blood pressure, anemia, skin disease, minerals, vitamins will all go up. As per industry estimates, it will burden the ordinary consumer by ` 10,000 Crores.

8. Is owning a House a mirage for Indians: Housing prices and construction costs have gone up 15% more in April due to rising cost construction materials such as steel, cement, bricks, copper, sanitary fittings, wood etc. Steel prices increased 30% from March 2021 to March 2022; cement costs went up by 22% copper and aluminum were up by 40% and 44% respectively in the same period. Steel prices have gone up from 35/kg to 90/kg. Cement bag has gone up nearly by ` 100.

9. Tax deduction on Home Loan abolished: Section 80EEA to the IT Act which gave first-time homebuyers the benefit of an additional tax deduction of up to Rs 1.5 lakh on interest payment of a home loan has been withdrawn by Modi Govt.

10. Tax on PF Account: Your retirement money will now be in Govt.’s pockets! From April 1, 2022, interest will be taxed for contribution of over ` 2.5 lakh in EPF account. Earlier, interest rates of Provident Fund were slashed from 8.5% to 8.1% impacting almost 6.7 Cr people.

11. AADHAAR- PAN Linking: Starting April 1, the cost of not linking Aadhaar with PAN will fetch a fine of 500 during April-June, and 1,000 till March 2023. The cost of getting a new pan card is 107 and for an Aadhaar it is Rs. 100. What justifies penalties charges of 500 and ` 1000?

12. Buying a Car, made costly by Modi Sarkar: The country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki will announce another price hike. Maruti Suzuki has already increased prices four times since Jan 2021, totaling an almost 9% increase, the highest ever price hike introduced by the carmaker in a year. Tata Motors will increase the prices of its commercial vehicles by 2.5%. Toyota has announced a price hike of up to 4%.Thethird-party motor insurance is now costlier.

13. Prices of TV, AC, Refrigerator, LED, Mobile on ‘fire’: With effect from April 1, Modi Govt. has imposed a 30% duty on aluminum ore and concentrate, which is used in making Television, AC and refrigerator hardware. Apart from this, the import duty has also been increased on the parts used in the compressor, which will increase the prices of refrigerators. The basic customs duty plus a 6% reimbursement duty will be levied on the material used in making LED bulbs. Net consequences, that AC, TV, Fridge, LED Bulb prices will go by 15% and Mobile prices by 20-30%. There is not a single sphere of a citizen’s life, where Prices have not increased. Modi Govt. remains responsible for this theft!

Based on Media briefing on April 2, 2022