Food prices not dependent on petrol, diesel only: Minister

Assam government on Wednesday said food prices were not solely dependent on petrol and diesel rates, while justifying not cutting the passenger fares of buses despite fall in crude oil prices.

"Price rise of essential food items do not depend on rising petrol and diesel rates alone," Assam Transport Minister Ajit Singh said at the Assembly here. He said fluctuation in petroleum products' prices did not result in the rise or fall in passenger fares.

"That is why, passenger fares are at a justified level despite falling rates of crude in international market," Singh said during a discussion in the House.

Earlier, former Chief Minister and AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta raised the issue of not decreasing fares, freight charges and food items despite drastic fall of petrol and diesel prices in the last couple of months. Singh informed the House that last increase in passenger fares took place on November 7, 2012 when the diesel rate was Rs 50.68 per litre.

On August 31, 2014, the diesel price was Rs 61.79 a litre and there was no increase in passenger fares since November 2012, he added. Since October last year, diesel prices have started to come down and stood at Rs 52.16 in every litre on March 10, 2015, Singh said.

"This shows that the overall increase in diesel rates between November 7, 2012 and March 10, 2015 stands at Rs 1.48," the Minister said.