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Amidst outcry over high taxes on motor fuel, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that she would be glad to discuss the suggestion of bringing petrol and diesel under the ambit of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) at the next meeting of the GST Council.

Sitharaman has stated that state levies and central excise duty account for more than half of the retail selling prices of petrol and diesel. For instance, taxes make up for 60 per cent of the present retail price of petrol of Rs 91.17 a litre in Delhi. Excise duty constitutes 36 per cent of the retail price. Over 53 per cent of the retail selling price of Rs 81.47 a litre for diesel in Delhi is made up of taxes. As much as 39 per cent of the retail price comprises central excise.

The minister said both the centre as well as state governments levy taxes on petrol and diesel. However, the Centre shares its collection on the fuel with states. The GST Council, headed by Union Finance Minister and comprising state finance ministers, is the highest decision making body regarding GST.