OMCs asks for petrol price hike; govt nod likely after March 8

07 Mar 2012 Evaluate

Major oil marketing companies (OMCs) - Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum have demanded the government that they be allowed to increase the price of petrol effective tonight given that the crucial assembly elections are over. The state-owned oil companies are pushing for raising petrol price by over Rs 5 per litre but the actual increase would depend on the government nod. However, as per recent development, the hike may be stalled till after March 8.

Oil firms had last revised the petrol prices on December 1, 2011. Since then the prices had not been hiked despite the rise in international prices, due to the assembly polls scheduled in five states, including the critical Uttar Pradesh. As a result, OMCs have suffered losses to the tune of Rs 900 crore since then and have been pressing the government to allow a hike.

Even though petrol prices have been deregulated, any price hikes by the PSUs is done after consultations with the government. Petrol price were freed from government control in June 2010 but rates have not moved in tandem with imported cost.

Oil firms also want a hike in the prices of diesel and cooking gas but that call would have to be taken by an Empowered Group of Ministers, where key allies like Trinamool Congress and DMK are represented. Mamata Banerjee-led TMC is opposed to any fuel price hike. Oil companies are facing losses to the tune of Rs 450 crore per day on sale of diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene.

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