Government to import fuel from another refinery
KATHMANDU,JAN 25:
Ministry of Commerce and Supplies is mulling to import fuel from another state-owned refiner of India apart from the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).
The ministry is proposing to import fuel from Numaligarh Refinery, minister for Commerce and Supplies Lekh Raj Bhatta said. “The ministry has initiated talks with the refinery and it is ready to supply petroleum products to Nepal if, the Indian government allows it to.”
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is till date the sole supplier of petroleum products to Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) at present and the agreement between them has to be revised in April, when the state oil monopoly is planning to ask the sole exporter to let NOC import fuel from other refinery too.
The primary concept of the government is to construct petroleum pipeline from Assam-based refinery of Numaligarh Refiner to Jhapa to import fuel, minister added.
Numaligarh Refinery is a company having shares of Bharat Petroleum Corporation, Government of Assam and Oil India Ltd. The BP Corporation has 61.65 per cent share, Government of Assam has 12.35 per cent share and Oil India has 26 per cent share in the refinery, according to its official site.
However, Bhatta clarified that the government is not seeking the option of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). “The government wants to renew the agreement between IOC and the state oil monopoly and add one more exporter that will help Nepal import petroleum products smoothly.
The government will also accelerate the process of pipeline construction from IOC’s Raxaul depot to Amlekhgunj depot of NOC, according to him.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has directed the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies to smoothen the supply of petroleum products and introduce relief programme immediately. “People are complaining of difficulties due to shortage and price hike of petroleum products,” he told Bhatta to address the problem immediately.
During the meeting at the Prime Minister’s official residence at Baluwatar, Bhatta briefed Prime Minister about petroleum prices and supply situation and the relief package he is bringing soon.
No rollback !
Minister for Commerce and Supplies Lekh Raj Bhatta said that the government is not rolling back from its decision of hiking petroleum products prices. “Political parties are over-politicising the issue,” he said, lamenting that he was forced to be a scapegoat in the price hike decision since the country could not bear Rs 2 billion loss every month. The price hike was a must, he said, adding that he was even blamed by his own partymen for hike. “The ministry will introduce relief package to the students but will not revoke its price hike decision,” he added. Similarly, Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai also supported the minister. “The government is preparing to bring relief package for the poor and students, who is residing in the capital rather than revoking the price hike,” the premier said at the 47th anniversary of Rastriya Banijya Bank in the capital today morning. But, student leaders from different political parties are putting pressure on government to revoke the price hike decision.
They urged to end syndicate and cartel, control leakages of petroleum products and adopt scientific approach to adjust price of petroleum products.
Source: THT
