The government is mulling over the proposal of shutting oil pumps after 8PM to decrease the fuel demand in the wake of finding ways to cut the huge oil import bill.
The government is mulling over the proposal of shutting oil pumps after 8PM to decrease the fuel demand in the wake of finding ways to cut the huge oil import bill.
As reported in PTI, Oil Minister Veerappa Moily said “there are various options and ideas that have been floated. Shutting petrol pumps during night is one of them. But we have not decided. It is just a proposal.”
The Oil ministry has planned to initiate a fuel conservation drive from September 16 to slash fuel demand by 3 percent and save an approximately $2.5 billion in forex outgo to bring down the current account deficit.
However, the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party slammed the proposal saying “what is petrol pump? Government will close the country… Won’t the people fill their car fuel tanks in the morning? This is a strange move by Moily”.
BJP said if the Manmohan Singh government has run out of ideas to tackle the economic mess, it can take suggestions from their party.
Simultaneously, experts have termed it as an ‘ill-advised’ proposal, which may create panic in the market and can also lead to black-marketing. Instead the government should think of putting some night surcharge.
Meanwhile, the decision has not yet been finalised and is waiting for Prime Minister’s consideration.
