EGoM on fuel price hike likely to meet today

24 Jun 2011 Evaluate

An Empowered Group of Ministers on fuel (EGoM), headed by the Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, is expected to meet today to consider a increase in diesel and LPG prices, as well as a cut in duty rates to combat the high cost of crude oil.

It is expected that a hike of Rs 2-3 per litre in diesel prices and an increase of at least Rs 25 per domestic LPG cylinder are on the EGoM agenda. It may also consider raising kerosene prices, along with this, it may also consider reducing custom or importing duty on crude oil to nil from current 5%, and on diesel from 7.5% to 2.5%. At present, state owned Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) are losing Rs 15.44 per litre on sale of diesel at government subsidized rates.

The Oil Ministry is pushing for equitable sharing of the burden occurring because of the increased international crude oil prices, among consumers, the government and state-owned OMCs. Oil Minister S Jaipal Reddy had met Prime Minister and Finance Minister for calling EGoM meeting as early as possible.

One third of increased prices will have to pass on to consumer in stages, whereas a similar amount will have to be borne by the government by the way of either providing cash subsidy or reducing custom and excise duty. The remaining would be absorbed by the upstream firms like ONGC and fuel retailers. The similar formula would apply to Rs 27.47 per litre loss on kerosene and Rs 381.14 loss on sale of every 14.2 kg domestic LPG cylinder, besides this oil ministry also wants a cut in Rs 4.60 per litre central excise duty levied on diesel to reduce the impact of the high crude oil prices.

At current subsidized prices, which is below the market price, government owned OMCs are estimated to lose Rs 1,66,712 crore in revenues on selling diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene. In May, OMCs had increased prices of deregulated petrol by Rs 5; however, OMCs are still losing Rs 1.98 a litre on the sale of petrol. At present, OMCs are losing Rs 490 crore a day on fuel sales.

The government is likely to keep the hike in retail prices of diesel at minimum level, as any increase in diesel prices will have a significant impact on the headline inflation which is hovering around 9%. The EGoM was originally scheduled to meet on May 11, but the meeting was canceled on the last moment, there was a talk of EGoM meeting on June 9 to take decision on fuel price hike but the meeting was never scheduled for the day. EGoM has not met since last June, when the international crude oil prices were around $70-72 per barrel, which is increased by almost 50%.

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