Petrol dealers call off strike

Petrol pump owners have called off their proposed strike on Friday and the indefinite strike from April 28 after Petroleum Minister Murli Deora assured that he would favourably consider their demand for raising commission on fuel sale.

"Petrol pump dealers are part of our family and I guarantee that all of their genuine problems will be solved," Deora said after a marathon four-hour meeting with representatives of Federation of All India Petroleum Traders.

FAIPT president Ashok K Badhwar said, "We are calling off the April 13 strike since the minister has agreed to consider giving us an interim increase in fuel commission next month."

The petrol pump dealers were seeking hike in commission on sale of petrol and diesel to 5 per cent of the fuel price. Currently, dealers get Rs 0.89 on sale of every litre of petrol and Rs 0.52 on sale of every litre of diesel.

At current price of Rs 42.85 a litre of petrol, the five per cent commission works out to Rs 2.14. Similarly, on the current price of Rs 30.25 a litre of diesel, the commission works out to Rs 1.51 per litre. This will warrant an increase in petrol price by Rs 1.25 a litre and diesel by Re 1 a litre.

"We have asked ministry officials to call officials of oil companies and sit with FAIPT to work out an acceptable solution," Deora said. "Our difficulty has been compounded due to the fact that international oil prices have risen and there is no scope for oil firms to absorb an increase in dealers commission."

"There is no doubt there is a need for an early relief but we do not want to burden the consumers," he said.