Govt contemplating more cuts in petrol, diesel prices

The government on Wednesday said it may cut petrol and diesel prices further in "the next 2 to 3 weeks" and also slash cooking gas prices.

"We will try to reduce the prices of petrol and diesel in the next 2-3 weeks," petroleum minister Murli Deora told reporters at the AICC headquarters in the capital.

Asked about the extent of reduction, he said it has still not been decided.

On December 5, the government had announced a Rs 5 per litre and Rs 2 a litre reduction in petrol and diesel prices, respectively, as global crude prices hovered around four year lows.

To a question on cooking gas prices, Deora said: "There was loss on that count to the government." He, however, hinted at a reduction of Rs 20-25 per cylinder.

The minister expressed unhappiness over the truckers' strike, saying: "Somebody perhaps is misguiding them," while quickly adding that the strike did not even concern his ministry.

Source: PTI