From the Newsroom: Petrol, diesel prices soar to record highs; TMC MP resigns from Rajya Sabha

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In your evening news brief, Petrol and diesel prices soar to record highs; Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman replies to the Opposition’s charges on the Union Budget and Senior Trinamool Congress MP Dinesh Trivedi resigns from the Rajya Sabha.

Here is the top news of February 12, 2021:

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday gave a strong rebuttal to the Opposition charge that the Union Budget this year was meant to serve only the rich and ignored the bulk of India’s poor.

Replying to the debate on the Budget in the Rajya Sabha, the finance minister said that her government-provided both, the short term quick relief needed by the poor during the Covid pandemic, and sought to invest in sectors that can bring in multiplier effect at a time when the economy was suffering due to the pandemic.

Petrol and diesel prices soared to record highs on Friday after rates were hiked for the fourth day in a row.

Petrol price was increased by 31 paise per litre and diesel by 35 paise a litre, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers.

In four days, prices have gone up by Rs 1.21 per litre for petrol, while diesel has risen by Rs 1.25 a litre.

Ahead of assembly polls in Assam, Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday presented a vote-on-account for Rs 60,784.03 crore in the House and withdrew an additional cess on petrol and diesel, making the fuels cheaper by Rs 5 per litre.

Senior Trinamool Congress MP Dinesh Trivedi on Friday announced his resignation from Rajya Sabha saying that he feels "suffocated" and cannot remain silent while West Bengal is facing a lot of political violence.

Trivedi (70), a former Railway Minister, announced his decision on the floor of the House during the debate on Budget, amid speculation that he may join BJP.

Source: DHNS/ PTI