By deferring the petrol price increase to May 15 the UPA government’s partners may benefit politically but it is not good news for the economy. This decision is in keeping with the policies of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is more worried about the political outcomes of each financial decision. Instead of merely talking about fiscal discipline, the government needs to be more serious about controlling expenses at different levels. Taxpayers’ money should not be misused for the benefit of the ruling party. For example, there is no need to supply kerosene through PDS shops in towns and villages that have electricity. Considering the large bill run up by the kerosene and LPG subsidy, targeted efforts need to be made to trim it.
Ajay K Tripathy, Thiruvananthapuram