Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s statement comes on a day when gasoline and diesel prices have risen sharply. Here is what he said:
Minister of Petroleum Dharmendra Pradhan. (Photo: PTI)
At a time when gasoline and diesel prices in the country reached their highest levels on record, Union Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the increase was due to rising international prices crude oil.
The minister assured that rates would gradually soften after global supply continues to increase. “Due to an increase in the prices of crude oil on international markets, consumer prices (for gasoline and diesel) have increased. It will gradually soften. Global supply has been reduced due to the fact that Covid also affected production, ”he said.
The minister also said that a request has been made to the GST Council to include petroleum products under its jurisdiction, as this will benefit people. He said, however, that the final appeal will have to be taken by the board.
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He also attacked opposition leaders, including Congressional Sonia Gandhi, for blaming the recent rise in fuel prices on the central government.
“Sonia Ji should know that Rajasthan and Maharashtra have a maximum tax. Central and state gains were negligible during the lockdown. We have allocated large shares to various sectors in Budget to increase jobs, ”he said.
While Pradhan is correct that fuel prices in the country are rising due to rising global crude oil prices, the fact that India’s central government and states levy high fuel taxes has made it worse. the situation of citizens.
On Tuesday, fuel prices rose after a two-day hiatus. The price of gasoline has exceeded Rs 100 per liter in some cities of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, while it has exceeded Rs 90 per liter in most cities of the country.
Diesel prices have also seen an equally steep rise, with prices reaching Rs 90 in some cities. Experts say rising diesel prices could have a cascading effect on many products, including food, due to the higher cost of transportation.
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das recently warned of the impact of rising fuel prices in the country, while Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said states and the Center should hold talks for lower the retail price of gasoline and diesel.
