Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday sought to defend the Government over the steep rise in the fuel prices saying it is due to the increase in its prices in the international market. On another issue, the Ministry of Minority Affairsinformed the Lok Sabha that the government was waiting for Saudi Arabia’s signal for ‘Haj’ to happen this year.
On the matter of price rise , Congress MP Sashi Tharoor pointed out to the government that it has not reduced tax on oil to bring down the fuel prices.
Puri assured that efforts are being made to make fuel available to people at "affordable prices".
Replying to a question in Lok Sabha, the minister said the prices of LNG in the international market has gone up by "more than 37 per cent" if compared from April 2021 to February 2022, because of "an unsettled condition and military action in one part of the world following the Covid crisis".
"Whereas, our increase at the bunk has been only five per cent," he told the House during Question Hour.
As for the LPG price, which is based on Saudi CP (Contract Price), the hike has been 37 percent in the last six months alone, he said.
"So, I just want to place these facts before the members and this august House, so that they understand what the international situation today is," he said.
The government is making "every effort to make sure that the consumer at the point of consumption gets fuel at an affordable price", he sought to say.
On another issue, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi informed the Lok Sabha that government was waiting for Saudi Arabia's decision on hosting the annual Haj pilgrimage, but has started preparations to send pilgrims from 10 embarking points, Union Minorities Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said in Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Naqvi said there has been no Haj pilgrimage for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.