Fuel prices cut by 1 paise; in poor taste, says Rahul Gandhi
Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Express Photo Amit Mehra Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Express Photo Amit Mehra
Petrol and diesel prices were Wednesday cut by 1 paisa per litre each, the first reduction after 16 days of relentless price hikes.
However, state-owned Indian Oil Corp (IOC) had first announced a reduction of 60 paise — the biggest since daily price revision was introduced in mid-June last year — only to retract it within a couple of hours citing a technical error. The oil companies announced reduction in petrol price by 60 paise to Rs 77.83 a litre and diesel by 56 paise to Rs 68.75 in Delhi. This was rectified to 1 paisa a litre.
“The reduction was supposed to be 1 paisa but due to a clerical error the price prevalent on May 25 was communicated as today’s price,” an IOC official explained. After the 1 paisa cut, petrol in Delhi now costs Rs 78.42 per litre and diesel Rs 69.30.
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“There is a softening in international oil prices and rupee has strengthened against the US dollar, making imports cheaper. All this will reflect in reduction in retail rates in coming days,” he said.
The price effected Wednesday is based on average international rate from May 15 to May 29. For Thursday’s rate, the average from May 16 to May 30 will be taken.
Meanwhile, Congress president Rahul Gandhi hit out at the government over the one paisa cut, saying if it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s idea of a “prank” then it was “childish and in poor taste”.
“Dear PM, You’ve cut the price of Petrol and Diesel today by 1 paisa. ONE paisa!?? If this is your idea of a prank, it’s childish and in poor taste. P.S. A ONE paisa cut is not a suitable response to the #FuelChallenge I threw you last week,” Gandhi tweeted from the US.
Congress, while calling it a cruel joke, demanded that petroleum products be brought under the ambit of GST. With PTI
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