Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said that the government is ensuring that there is no price hike in petrol, diesel and even Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). Speaking to the media in New Delhi, Ms Sitharaman said, keeping the West Asia conflict situation in mind, the Prime Minister held a meeting in which it was decided that there should be no shortage of petrol, diesel and ATF, and their prices should not be increased due to the global situation. She said the government has slashed excise duty on petrol and diesel and decided to give support to Oil Marketing Companies so that they can import the material and the common people do not have to face any hike.

 

The Minister said that another decision was taken by the Prime Minister that those refineries that get the material from outside, refine it in India and send it as export will now have to face a higher duty. She said that the decision has been taken so that these materials are available for the domestic market and not sent outside. Calling the rumours of lockdown as  baseless, Ms Sitharaman reassured people that there shall not be any lockdown that was previously implemented during Covid pandemic. She said that such remarks coming from those in political domains are worrisome.