Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd Employees Union on Friday extended support to the proposed indefinite strike of employees of public sector oil companies against privatisation of HPCL and BPCL.
Petroleum Minister Ram Naik said the terms and conditions of the strategic sale of HPCL and and public offer in BPCL would be worked out by a core group of secretaries on divestment.
The under-realisation on fuel sales incurred by the oil marketing companies is projected to rise by 14 per cent to around Rs 760 crore (Rs 7.6 billion) per day in the first fortnight of July from Rs 680 crore (Rs 6.8 billion) per day in the second fortnight of June.
A decision on sale of government equity in HPCL, BPCL could be delayed beyond the Dec 7 deadline with PetroMin Naik stating he has no idea about the next CCD meet.\n\n\n\n
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.
Even as Minister of State for Petroleum Dinsha Patel has told the Rajya Sabha that new connections are easily available for genuine customers, householders all over India are facing an acute shortage of LPG cylinders.
The Oil and Natural Gas Corp has asked the government to review the scheme of sharing of liquefied petroleum gas and kerosene subsidy with upstream firms and said the scheme should not be extended beyond March 2004.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
In 13 hikes, petrol price has gone up by Rs 7.11 per litre and diesel by Rs 7.67 a litre.
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.
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
As oil marketing companies (OMCs) stare at huge under-recoveries, India is facing fuel shortage across the country with states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Haryana being the worst hit. The under-recoveries suffered by OMCs are around Rs 20-25 a litre for diesel and Rs 14-18 a litre for petrol, said sources. Government and state-run companies denied reports of any crisis or supply-side issues on the availability of fuel.
Angry Congress, Samajwadi Party and Left party members on Thursday stalled Question Hour in Lok Sabha for about 15 minutes.
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.
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
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.
Saudi Aramco will bid government's 34.01 per cent stake in oil refiner Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
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
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