Union Cabinet to discuss hike in diesel, LPG prices

06 Sep 2012 Evaluate

Seeking an immediate price hike in diesel, LPG cylinders and kerosene amid soaring production costs, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry has moved a Cabinet note. The Union Cabinet is also likely to discuss on limiting supply of subsidized LPG cylinders to 4-6 per household in a year and a cut of Rs 14.78 per litre excise duty currently levied on petrol. The ministry’s proposal has also suggested barring of households with income of more than Rs 50,000 per month or Rs 6 lakh in a year from getting subsidized LPG cylinders.

The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, will make the final call on hikes as early as next week. The government’s immediate move on this clearly points out, as a measure to avert a fiscal disaster and a sovereign credit downgrade to junk by global ratings agencies, as the widening deficit would put India on the brink of losing investment grade.

The ministry have been advocating for the reduction of subsidies on fuels like diesel as it is eating into the budget and have been affecting the financial health of state-run oil companies. But the fears of a popular backlash had stopped the Centre from raising prices for more than a year. The three state-run fuel retailers - Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp and Hindustan Petroleum Corp have together racked up losses of Rs 47,811 crore in the first quarter, four times the loss from a year earlier.

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