The government is not in favour of lowering the excise duty on petrol and diesel right now. Speaking to oresspersons on the sidelines of a workshop on Petrol and Diesel Price Rationalisation, Minister of state (Independent Charge) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan, said, "The current price of fuel does not warrant an excise duty cut. We will consider a revision when needed."

He, however, backed Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's letter to states urging a cut in the Value Added Tax component. Pradhan said, "State governments should consider a cut in their share of tax reveues from petrol and diesel."

On the inclusion of petrol and diesel under GST, Pradhan said the government is trying to build a consensus with states.