New Delhi: New Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan yesterday defended the fresh hike in diesel prices saying the fare for bulk consumption has come down.
“We don’t want to take any step which will send a negative signal to investors. Don’t see the things in isolation. Today the diesel price for bulk consumption has also decreased by Rs1.24. We are also responsible towards welfare of the people,” Pradhan said. “We have reached a stage to reduce diesel price up to Rs1.24 in bulk consumption. This has happened due to the strengthening of the rupee under Narendra Modi’s government,” he added.
Diesel prices were hiked on Saturday by 50 paise a litre, excluding state levies, the second such increase in rates in three weeks. Before this increase, diesel prices had risen by a cumulative Rs9.55 a litre in 15 instalments since January 2013. The new diesel price in Delhi after including taxes is Rs57.28 per litre, while it costs Rs65.84 a litre in Mumbai. IANS
