NEW DELHI: Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Saturday oil companies will be in a position to look at the issue of reducing petrol and diesel prices if the international crude cost remains stable and these firms have a good next quarter.
The Narendra Modi-led government has ensured that there is no rise in oil prices since April 2022, the BJP leader said and noted that it will make certain that consumers suffer no hardship.
Addressing media at the BJP headquarters here to mark the Modi government’s nine years in power, Puri said he was not in a position to make an announcement on the issue. “As we go along we will see what can be done,” the minister said. He said state-run oil marketing companies did “okay” in the last quarter.
“They have recovered some of their losses. They have been very good corporate citizens. As we go along we will see what can be done,” he said.
One may like to give everything for “free” but then they enter the dangerous territory of freebie politics, Puri said, accusing the opposition of doing “revdi politics”.
The issue of pricing is a dynamic matter, he said, adding that the government has taken several welfare measures in its nine years term to help people.
Puri said the non-BJP state governments are most vocal about petroleum prices even when they sell fuel at higher prices than BJP governments by not reducing VAT.
In this context, he referred to the situation in neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Sri Lanka without naming them and noted the power crisis they have suffered.
The western neighbour has to cut down on electricity after evening, the minister said and lauded Modi for pursuing policies that kept availability and affordability under control.