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Govt scraps kerosene imports by private firms
New Delhi, Nov 28: Government has scrapped kerosene imports by private companies and decided that only state-run firms will import the fuel so as to end its adulteration in diesel.
New Delhi, Nov 28: Government has scrapped kerosene
imports by private companies and decided that only state-run
firms will import the fuel so as to end its adulteration in
diesel.
Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL),
Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL) and IBP will now be authorised
to import kerosene and any company other than these four
state-run oil marketing firms wanting to retail kerosene, will
have to obtain the fuel from state trading corp.
"Import of kerosene shall be allowed through state trading enterprises (STEs) IOC, BPCL, HPCL and IBP, for all purposes with STC being nominated as a STE for supplies to advance licence holders," a notification issued by Director General of Foreign Trade said.
The notification, issued this week, amends the previous govt policy, as per which licences were given to private firms to import kerosene and sell to bulk and retail consumers.
The petroleum ministry had last month asked the commerce ministry to disallow kerosene imports by the so-called parallel marketing firms as kerosene, surreptitiously used for spiking in diesel, was eating into the sales of diesel even though vehicle population increased in the country.
Overall consumption of diesel fell by 3.7 per cent in the first six months of fiscal 2003-04 but the impact was much worse in coastal areas because it is more lucrative to mix at import locations than moving it in the mainland at a cost.
A pointer to the mixing is the absurd rise in kerosene imports in the first seven months to 0.665 million tonnes from 0.396 million tonnes in April-October 2002.
Bureau Report
"Import of kerosene shall be allowed through state trading enterprises (STEs) IOC, BPCL, HPCL and IBP, for all purposes with STC being nominated as a STE for supplies to advance licence holders," a notification issued by Director General of Foreign Trade said.
The notification, issued this week, amends the previous govt policy, as per which licences were given to private firms to import kerosene and sell to bulk and retail consumers.
The petroleum ministry had last month asked the commerce ministry to disallow kerosene imports by the so-called parallel marketing firms as kerosene, surreptitiously used for spiking in diesel, was eating into the sales of diesel even though vehicle population increased in the country.
Overall consumption of diesel fell by 3.7 per cent in the first six months of fiscal 2003-04 but the impact was much worse in coastal areas because it is more lucrative to mix at import locations than moving it in the mainland at a cost.
A pointer to the mixing is the absurd rise in kerosene imports in the first seven months to 0.665 million tonnes from 0.396 million tonnes in April-October 2002.
Bureau Report