New Delhi, September 15: The Modi government collected Rs 83,219 crore last financial year from excise duty on petrol. The government shared the data in response to written questions asked by Congress lawmaker Rahul Gandhi. In his questions, Rahul Gandhi sought to know from the Ministry of Finance details of revenue from central excise duty collected on petrol, high-speed diesel oil and aviation turbine fuel for the last three years. 'Unaffected by Deaths': Rahul Gandhi Attacks Govt on 'no Data on Migrant Labourers' Deaths'.

According to the response from Anurag Thakur, Minister of State, Finance, the government collected Rs 83,219 crore as revenue in 2019-20 from excise duty on petrol. It generated revenue worth Rs 74,431 crore and Rs 68,929 crore in 2017-18 and 2018-19 from excise duty on petrol. Through excise duty on diesel, the government collected Rs 1,50,836 crore in 2017-18,  Rs 1,44,471 crore in 2018-19 and Rs 1,32,242 crore in 2019-20. Rahul Gandhi Steps Up Attack on Government Over Fuel Price Hike, Demands Rollback of Increased Excise Duty on Petrol and Diesel.

The government also generated revenue worth Rs 1,938 crore in 2017-18, Rs 2,540 crore in 2018-19 and Rs 2,002 crore in 2019-20 through excise duty on aircraft fuel, revealed the data shared in response to Rahul Gandhi's questions. The Wayand MP has slammed the Modi government over high prices of petrol and diesel, alleging that the Centre was not passing on benefits of reduced international oil prices to the common man.

Earlier today, Rahul Gandhi targetted the Modi government for its statement that it does not have data on the number of migrants who died during the lockdown. Union Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar told the Lok Sabha on Monday that the government does not have data on the number of migrants who died or were injured while returning to their native places due to the lockdown.

In a four-line verse in Hindi, the Congress leader responded by saying the Modi government does not know how many migrant labourers died and how many jobs were lost during the lockdown. "Did the death not take place if you did not count? But yes, it is sad the government was unaffected by it, The world saw their deaths, only the Modi government was not aware of it," he said on Twitter.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 15, 2020 01:09 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).