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India can export petrol, diesel now: Ram Naik

Successful commissioning of all the new refinery projects this year would make India a significant exporter of diesel and petrol, ending its longstanding status as a net importer of these products.

Responding to Nawal Kishore Rai during question hour in the Lok Sabha today, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Ram Naik said the petroleum refining capacity in the country has increased by 43.40 million tonnes in 1999-2000 to 112.54 million tonnes. This would enable meeting the domestic demand for diesel and petrol fully and leave substantial products surplus for exports.

Naik told Sushil Kumar Indora that the ministerial committee, set up by the prime minister to prepare a perspective National Fuel Policy for the next 25 years, had submitted its report to the government on March 23. He said the report would be tabled in Parliament today.

Naik assured Rashid Alvi that the government would step up use of sugarcane alcohol as an auto-fuel additive after the pilot plants for its production in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh proved their viability.

On the proposed refinery at Bhatinda, he told Jagmeet Singh Brar that the government had released Rs 3 billion last week for starting the project work even without waiting for the finalisation of the foreign tie-up.

UNI

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