Petrol Prices: Petrol is being sold across the country at Rs 110 to Rs 116 per litre. Meanwhile, a senior leader and former Chief Minister of the country has made a big demand from the Modi government that pure petrol should be available at Rs 82 and E20 petrol at Rs 70 per liter.
New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday demanded reducing the prices of petrol and diesel. He claimed that “pure petrol” should be available at Rs 82 per liter and E20 fuel at Rs 70 per liter. Speaking to the media, Kejriwal said, “In our country, pure petrol should be available at Rs 82 per litre; and if we switch to E20 fuel, I think the price should come down further to around Rs 70 per litre, whereas right now E20 petrol is available at Rs 102.”
What formula did Arvind Kejriwal tell?
Kejriwal claimed that diesel prices can also be reduced in a similar manner. He said that the reduction in fuel prices will provide much needed relief to the people. He said, “We can also calculate diesel prices in the same way. Diesel prices can also come down. If the prices of petrol and diesel come down, I believe it will be a big blow to inflation and will provide much-needed relief to the people.”
Petroleum Minister also made a big gesture?
- Kejriwal further said, “On behalf of the people of this country, I demand from the government that it should immediately start supplying pure petrol at Rs 82 per liter; and if E20 is to be supplied, the price should be even lower.” The AAP chief’s comments come days after Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that if global crude oil prices remain at current levels for the next few weeks, then reduction in retail prices of petrol and diesel would become a “reasonable question”. However, he termed speculations about an immediate price cut as premature.
- Addressing a press conference on July 3, Puri had said that the country’s oil marketing companies (OMCs) have in the past incurred huge financial losses to protect consumers from fluctuations in global crude oil prices. The minister said, “Oil marketing companies have suffered losses and under-recoveries of Rs 74,781 crore by selling petrol, diesel and LPG below cost.
- During the same briefing, the minister also defended the government’s ethanol blending program and dismissed concerns over E20 fuel. He said that the slight decrease in mileage is compensated by the improvement in performance and acceleration of the vehicle. He also said that this change has been implemented after consultations with industry bodies like Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI).