Government delays plan to hike prices of diesel, LPG and kerosene

The government has no immediate plan to increase the administered prices of diesel, LPG and kerosene, petroleum minister disclosed this after an inter-ministerial group meeting that discussed the steady rise in prices in the country.

''We are not considering hiking prices of diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene. It is out of question right now,'' petroleum minister S Jaipal Reddy said today.

Speaking after a meeting by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee to discuss the impact of fuel price hike on inflation, Reddy, however, did not say anything on the possibility of a partial rollback of the current increase in petrol prices.

The meeting obviously delayed a decision on an increase in the administered prices of diesel, LPG and kerosene in the light of nationwide protest against the hike in petrol prices.

Reddy said no dates have been fixed for convening a meeting of a ministerial panel to decide on revising rates of diesel, LPG and kerosene. He said the inter-ministerial meeting was called at his instance to discuss the current hike in petrol prices

''It was only a meeting of the inter-ministerial group to look at the question of inflation. I was requested to come and offer my insights before they finalise their group recommendations,'' Reddy said.