India imports 73 per cent of its crude oil import needs and the cost of imports would spiral after crude inched closer to a record $125 per barrel, while rupee touched its 13-month low, official sources said. The basket of crude oil India imports was at $120.65 per barrel on Thursday, a 91 per cent jump over the last fiscal's lowest price of 62.91 dollars recorded on May 9, 2007, official sources said.
Concerned over growing resistance from the Opposition and some of the allies of the ruling National Democratic Alliance, the divestment ministry appears to have given up hopes of any big-ticket privatisation.
This is the second hike in diesel price this month.
Bond issue oversubscribed 15 times despite gloomy sovereign rating.
IOC has asked consumers to book LPG refill through IVRS or SMSes so that refills reach genuine users.
After the two hikes, the ATF prices had risen to above September levels, the official said. The three oil firms revise jet fuel prices on the first and the 16th day of every month based on the average global oil price in the previous fortnight.
The government on Thursday permitted 100 per cent foreign investment under the automatic route in oil and gas PSUs which have received in-principle approval for strategic divestment. The move would facilitate privatisation of India's second biggest oil refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL). The government is privatising BPCL and selling its entire 52.98 per cent stake in the company.
Government had last week issued bonds worth Rs 11,256.92 crore (Rs 112.56 billion) to three PSU oil marketing companies to compensate them for under-recoveries on selling petrol, diesel, domestic LPG and PDS kerosene in April-September 2007 period.
Reliance Industries Ltd will give Rs 750 crore (Rs 7.5 billion) discount on LPG and kerosene to public sector petro retailers in 2005-06.
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation said on Thursday that it would like to acquire public sector oil companies -- Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation.
IOC and sister PSUs Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum are losing Rs 4.60 on sale of every litre of petrol and Rs 2.33 per litre of diesel currently, IOC director (marketing) G C Dagga told reporters in New Delhi.
The government on Wednesday admitted that it would be difficult to realise the targeted Rs 13,200 crore from divestment due to serious constraints arising as a fallout of Supreme Court's judgement on HPCL and BPCL selloff.
Government has scrapped kerosene imports by private companies and decided that only state-run firms will import the fuel to end its adulteration in diesel.
The Supreme Court on Monday in-principle agreed to reconsider its earlier judgement on Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd divestment, and stayed proceedings before all high courts concerning divestment.
The jet fuel rate will go up by Rs 104 per kilolitre in Delhi to Rs 32,303, an IOC official said. The increase comes on the back of a 1.8 per cent hike in rates on May 16. On May 1, state-run oil firms marginally reduced the price by one per cent, which had brought the rates in Delhi down to Rs 31,614.51 per kl. In Mumbai, home to the nation's busiest airport, the rate will go up from Rs 33,138 per kl to Rs 33,261 per kl.
The divestment of HPCL and BPCL may be delayed by at least three years because of "existing hurdles", prime minister's economic advisory council committee member and BJP national executive member Jagdish Shetigar said on Thursday.
Top corporates and banks, including Bharti Airtel, Maruti Suzuki, SAIL and SBI, have paid lower advance taxes during the July-September quarter reflecting the impact of slowdown.
Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum raised the aviation turbine fuel price by Rs 585 per kilolitre in Delhi to Rs 32,199 with effect from midnight tonight, an IOC official said. The increase comes on the back of a marginally one per cent reduction effected on May 1, which had brought the rates in Delhi down to Rs 31,614.51 per kl.
Divestment Minister Arun Shourie will meet Law Minister Arun Jaitly in New Delhi on Thursday to consider options before the government and chalk out future strategy.
While BPCL has been ranked third in the poll, Reliance is at the fourth position adn HPCL 8th.
The Supreme Court on Friday reserved its order on petitions challenging the Union government's decision to privatise oil sector PSUs Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
Opposition in the Lok Sabha on Thursday took the government to task for its moves to divest its stake in oil majors -- Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation
Angry Congress, Samajwadi Party and Left party members on Thursday stalled Question Hour in Lok Sabha for about 15 minutes.
Workers of state-owned Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd returned to work on Friday after a three-day strike to oppose privatisation of the cash-rich oil refiners.\n\n\n\n
Notwithstanding the robust turnaround in the financial performance for the June quarter (Q1FY24), stocks of state-run oil marketing companies have been in a downtrend in the last month. The fall comes on a rise in crude oil prices that have surged to a 7-month high of $88 a barrel. A busy political calendar in the months ahead that may see the government keep a lid on auto fuel prices is also a dampener, analysts said. Shares of Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) and Indian Oil (IOC) have shed 9-11 per cent since their respective earnings announcement between July 26 to August 4.
Government has begun drawing contingency plans to avert any shortage of domestic cooking gas as a result of go-slow agitation by employees of the country's largest oil company Indian Oil Corp.
The employees unions of Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum said on Tuesday that they will strike work for three days starting March 25 in protest against the proposed privatisation of two oil majors.
No divestment of oil PSUs during during the month-long recess of the current Budget session of Parliament beginning March 14, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj categorically assured Lok Sabha on Thursday.\n\n
