Will ensure no fuel shortage in country: Hardeep Singh Puri
Darpan News Desk IANS, 08 Mar, 2022 03:01 PM
New Delhi, March 8 (IANS) Amid speculation that petrol prices will increase after the Assembly elections in five states, Union Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said that it will be ensured that the country does not face a fuel shortage.
Addressing a press conference here, Puri reminded how the Congress party had deregulated petroleum prices during its reign.
Recently, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had attacked the government over the issue, saying, "Get petrol tanks filled immediately. Modi government's offer is about to end."
Puri said civic elections are scheduled to be held in many states of the country in October.
From March 1, prices of commercial LPG cylinder rose by Rs 105. The hike in the prices of commercial cylinders is adversely affecting hotel and restaurant owners. A commercial LPG cylinder weighing 19 kg, which earlier cost Rs 1,907, is now selling at Rs 2,012.
Speculation is rife that after the elections in the five states are over, prices of domestic LPG, diesel and petrol may witness an increase.
As per recently released reports, after the completion of the poll process, petrol and diesel prices, which have remained unchanged since Diwali, may be increased by Rs 15 to Rs 22 per litre.
The price of crude oil in the international market has reached $117 per barrel.
According to experts, if the Russia-Ukraine war continues, then crude oil prices could reach $ 185 per barrel.
High drama was witnessed on Thursday after 125 of 179 international passengers, who arrived at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport Rajasansi, near here, from Italy, in an Air India flight tested positive on arrival. The Covid passengers were asked to quarantine in local hospital as per the guidelines of the government.
On Wednesday, The Prime Minister's rally in Ferozepur had to be cancelled due to a security lapse after some protesters blocked a route and forced his convoy to spend about 20 minutes on a flyover. The Prime Minister was enroute the National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala when the incident happened.
Although the department has all infrastructural needs in place to deal with the large number of cases expected in case of the third wave becoming a reality, he also appealed to the people to get themselves fully vaccinated against the virus as it is the most potent tool to avoid Covid-19.
Regretting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to cancel his scheduled visit to Ferozepur midway, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said on Wednesday that there was no security lapse that led to the cancellation of the Prime Ministers visit to the bordering town.
Holding the Punjab government squarely responsible for the "gross security lapse" during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab, that eventually led to cancellation of all his programmes, former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday demanded dismissal of the government and imposition of President's rule.
With the spike in Covid-19 cases, Punjab on Tuesday imposed statewide night curfew daily from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. and ordered closure of all educational institutions till January 15.
