PM acknowledges need to rationalize fuel prices

30 Apr 2012 Evaluate

Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh has hinted at an impending fuel price hike and accepted that there is a need to rationalise fuel prices on the same time he is of the opinion that the poor need to be protected from severe hikes. Whether this is an indication of a possible price increase after the ongoing Budget session, only time will tell but certainly confirms the fact that the issue is playing on the government’s mind.

The PM has observed that India, with its rapidly increasing economy needs adequate amount of energy supplied at reasonable prices. However, India is dependent on crude oil imports to the extent of 80% to fulfill its needs and any rise in global prices hits the economy. He further stated that the government has tried to shield the common man from the price hikes by providing subsidies on kerosene, LPG and diesel.  

Prices of kerosene, disel and LPG are subsidized by the government in the country. Oil companies sell diesel at a discount of Rs 16.16 a litre, while they lose Rs 32.59 on sale of every litre of kerosene. A 14.2-kg domestic LPG cylinder costs Rs 570.50 less than its actual cost.

Petrol prices though deregulated in theory are still under the government’s control. The last petrol price revision was effected on December 1, 2011, when the oil companies reduced the price by Rs 0.65 per litre on top of an earlier price reduction of Rs 1.85 per litre effected on November 16, 2011. These two price reductions were effected as a result of soothing down of the international petrol prices which fell from $120.83 per barrel to $115.03 per barrel and further to $ 109.03 per barrel in the relevant pricing periods.

However since then the prices of petrol have shot up but the government has allowed oil companies to hike prices. As a result the companies are facing huge losses and have gone to the extent of threatening the government of a price hike if subsidies are not paid out to them.

The rising crude oil prices are also impacting the government’s finances to the extent that India’s fiscal deficit is one of the largest amongst the emerging economies. There is no doubt about the fact that the hike in international prices will have to be passed on to the consumers but is being delayed due to concerns of inflation and the political backlash.


 

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