Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs and Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, on Saturday, said that it was a “misconception” that the government would reduce fuel prices ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year, when asked about the same at an event.
At the Aaj Tak G20 Summit, Puri was asked if fuel prices were going to drop to provide relief to people ahead of the polls. In response, Hardeep Singh Puri said that this was a claim spread by the media but had no substance in it.
The Union Minister explained that fuel prices were dictated by several factors such as international prices, transport costs, refining costs and taxes. He said that the fuel prices in the country are determined by how the government handles such factors.
Referring to when oil prices shot up in 2022 after the pandemic, Puri said that India did not ask oil-supplying countries to reduce their prices. Rather, the government cut down excise duty on fuel to bring down prices.
“In addition, in BJP-ruled states, the government reduced the Value-Added Tax on fuel to further reduce the prices by Rs 8 to Rs 11,” he said.
Talking about India hosting the G20 Summit this year, Puri said that “India’s experience has a lot of relevance for developing countries.”
Citing the country’s rank as the 5th largest economy, the Union Minister said that India was developing a nation which is now being touted as the “voice of the global South”.
He also said that the metro train system, which started during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s term in 2002, is set to be the world’s second largest metro system after China.
