The finance ministry is considering whether it can lower the excise duty

The government would take a hit of about Rs 6,000 crore this year if it rolls back the excise duty of Rs 1.5 per litre on diesel it levied last week.
Under pressure from the Trinamool Congress, the finance ministry is evaluating its options for a possible reduction in the excise duty, without taking a major hit on its overall revenue collection. Excise duty on diesel was levied to neutralise the loss the exchequer would have borne after an excise duty reduction of Rs 5.30 a litre on petrol, said a finance ministry official.