New Delhi, Dec 15, 2022, By Special Correspondent

New Delhi, Dec 15: West Bengal is among the six non-BJP ruled states that have not reduced the VAT on petroleum products.

This has led to higher prices of petrol and diesel in those states, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in Lok Sabha on Thursday.

Besides West Bengal, the other states are Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Kerala and Jharkhand.

Puri said the Centre and certain other states have cut excise duty on petroleum products and reduced their Value Added Tax (VAT), while asserting that currently petrol price in India is one of the lowest despite the oil marketing companies together suffering losses of Rs 27,276 crore due to high prices of international crude.

The minister said prices of petrol and diesel have not been increased by public sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) since April 6, 2022, despite record-high international prices.

Dissatisfied with the minister's reply, members belonging to Congress, DMK, TMC and NCP staged a walkout of the House.