Calcutta, Sep 11 (Agencies): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said her government would cut the prices of petrol and diesel by a rupee a litre.

She also urged the Union government to reduce the excise duty on fuel prices. The Union government levies a flat excise of Rs 19.48 per litre of petrol on the price charged to dealers (Rs 40.45), and Rs 15.33 on diesel on the price charged to dealers (Rs 44.28).

The states then levy sales tax at varying rates on top of this, potentially earning more as the prices charged by government-owned retailers (the dealer price) move up.

West Bengal levied a sales tax of 25.25% on petrol and 17.54% on diesel as on September 1, 2018, according to the Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell of the Union oil and natural gas ministry.

”For the time being, we have decided to give a relief of one rupee for each litre of petrol and diesel. We also demand that the central government consider cutting the excise on diesel and petrol prices,” Mamata told reporters at the state secretariat.

Before her announcement, petrol was selling at Rs 83.84 a litre and diesel at Rs 75.90 a litre in Calcutta.

The Trinamool Congress chief said that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre had increased excise duty nine times, even when the global crude prices were falling.

”Our government has never increased the sales tax or cess during all these years,” she said.