Top story - Oil PSUs to cartelise price of deregulated petrol

14 Jul 2010 Evaluate

State-owned oil firms IOC, BPCL and HPCL will continue to act as a cartel while revising petrol prices every fortnight in the free pricing regime, which looks set to kick in as early as this week.

Petrol prices were freed from government control last month, resulting in Rs 3.50 per litre rate hike in Delhi. However, the modalities of subsequent retail price adjustments -- in line with changes in raw material cost -- were left for the industry to decide. Though diesel prices were raised by an ad-hoc Rs 2 per litre, it continues to be under government control. Also, domestic LPG prices were increased by Rs 35 per 14.2-kg cylinder. Kerosene rates were hiked by Rs 3 per litre to cut the government's fuel subsidy.

Oil IOC, BPCL and HPCL are likely to revise petrol prices twice a month on the basis of fortnightly average of crude oil prices. The three companies would have a uniform rate for petrol in particular cities or locations, and it would change on the same dates. However, the companies may not announce dates of revision in advance to avoid hoarding of the fuel. Instead of changes in rates on the 1st and 16th of every month, they plan to revise prices on any day of the month.

The BJP-led NDA government had decontrolled petrol and diesel prices on April 1, 2002, and they were being revised every fortnight for nearly 21 months. The practice was stopped a few months before the general elections in May 2004, and the controls were back in place when the then UPA came to power.

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