Union Minister Piyush Goyal mentioned that the central government has lessened excise duty on fuel and maintained heavy fertiliser subsidies to shield farmers and consumers from global price hikes. Despite fiscal challenges, the government reduced excise duty by Rs 10 to ease the burden on citizens. Goyal emphasized that substantial subsidy costs are being borne to prevent farmers from facing increased fertiliser prices.
The Minister praised Maharashtra’s decision to reduce VAT on aviation fuel, foreseeing benefits for tourism and civil aviation sectors due to the government’s economic initiatives. He expressed optimism that opposition-led states would also draw lessons from these measures, particularly in supporting sectors under strain.
Regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security, Goyal underscored the paramount importance of ensuring the Prime Minister’s safety. He clarified that any adjustments in security measures were not influenced by opposition pressure and stressed the necessity of maintaining the highest level of protection for the Prime Minister, given his national and global leadership role.
