Fuel prices slashed: Several BJP states announce additional cut

Soon after the central government announced a cut of Rs 2.50 per litre in fuel prices on Thursday, several BJP-ruled states including Chhattisgarh, Tripura and Gujarat decided to give an additional concession of Rs 2.50 in the prices of petrol and diesel.

Earlier on Thursday, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced a cut of Rs 2.50 per litre on both petrol and diesel prices and directed the state governments to implement the same. "Excise duty to be reduced by Rs 1.50 and Oil Marketing Companies will absorb one rupee. So, a total of Rs.2.50 will be reduced on both diesel and petrol," Jaitley said.

After this announcement, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Tripura governments implemented the direction and also decided to give an additional relief of Rs. 2.50 per litre on petrol and diesel, making the fuels cheaper by five rupees each in the states.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Government also decided to give an additional concession of Rs 2.50 per litre on petrol. Top sources told ANI that the reduction in prices of diesel is also under consideration in the state.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das also eased the load of people's pocket by saying that another Rs 2.50 per litre relief cut on diesel in the state.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan demanded the Odisha government to announce a supplementary relief on petrol and diesel prices. "Central government has reduced Rs 2.50 on petrol and diesel, I request Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to reduce Rs 2.50 more as other states did," Pradhan said.