People Will Get Some Relief On Fuel Prices In Coming Months: Oil Minister Puri

Mumbai: When questioned about the issue of rising fuel prices, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said that people will get some relief in the coming months as international oil prices are stabilising.

International oil prices are slowly coming down and stabilising, the minister added, addressing a press conference here.

Asked about the expectation of any relief in the near future, he told reporters, “The central government is very sensitive about this issue. I see that there will be relief in the coming months.”

However, Puri defended the government over the continuous rise in fuel prices in the country, saying the Center charges an excise duty of Rs 32 per litre and the revenue thus generated is spent on various welfare schemes.

He said, “The central government is also very sensitive towards our other responsibilities… The government has provided free ration, free vaccines, all other facilities to 80 crore people. So this is a part of that picture.”

The minister said that the excise duty levied by the central government is still the same as it was in April 2010.

“For example, when the international price was $19 60 cents or 64 cents a litre, we used to charge Rs 32 per litre. Now that it is $75 a litre, we are still charging Rs 32 a litre,” he said.

Puri said fuel prices in India are determined by the international market, as the Congress-led UPA controlled oil prices in 2010.

Besides the excise duty imposed by the central government on fuel, the states also levy VAT, he added.

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