Price of Petrol

The Indian petrol story is one that never seems to stop fascinating me. The budget each year outlines a massive bill towards subsidisation of fuel.


Ok, agreed we get fuel cheaper than the rest of the world. The subsidization of the fuel is paid by the government (with our tax money). So in effect, the people of the country are paying the price of fuel any which way.


When you break the price of fuel down, one would notice that almost 45% of the price that we pay comes in the form of Excise Duty, Customs Duty, Sales Tax and VAT; which again goes back to the government. 


So if the government were to just hold on to the same price of petrol and reduce the taxes that were being charged, the oil companies would be better off and they would not need to the tax money to survive anyway. I do not suppose that the government is paying more than 50% of the cost of fuel as subsidy!


Why cant they just remove the taxes/lessen them considerably and ensure that they dont have the onus of ensure the survival of the oil companies on their head? Why this convoluted nonsense? 


They give us subsidy and take it back as taxes!

Satyamev Jayate

Speaking for myself, I found the program to be a disappointment after all of the hype and marketing that surrounded the build-up. Aamir Khan attempting an Oprah Winfrey!

Issues are known. There are several problems with the Indian society, the way it has been conditioned traditionally and the way we have come to accept its shortcomings as a way of life. There are root causes to each one of these issues which need to be identified and there are inspirational tales of how people have managed to solve some of these issues, maybe even from other countries.

Instead Mr. Khan bring a parade of victims and sheds a few croc tears on the show as well. And what is with a bunch of idiots sitting in some village claiming they do not have girls to marry and taking pot shots at Salman Khan?? Shameful.

The case of female infanticide finds its roots in the dowry system, a point he never seems to touch upon. Obviously, the rates are going to be higher in urban India, city dwellers have to pay a larger dowry. Abortion becomes economically viable!

Example:

Cost of Abortion - Rs. 15,000    

Dowry in rural India - Rs. 1,00,000   

Dowry in Urban India - Rs. 50,00,000

Who has greater incentive?

This is a fake show meant to play on the emotions of people and increase TRP. 

I am also tremendously appalled by the people who, after watching the show, seem to react as if this was a taboo that they had never heard of! Its is something that has been going on for years, just does not get reported as much as rape and murder, those are more juicier stories.

Just creating a one-sided law against dowry is not the solution, there needs to be a better answer. Once, this is addressed, female infanticide will come down automatically.