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Ramesh Sharma

Dealing with diesel demand: Mr Murli Deora, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas; Mr R. S. Sharma, Chairman and Managing Director, ONGC; Mr U. D. Choubey, Chairman and Managing Director, GAIL; and Mr Sarthak Behuria, Chairman, IOC, at a meeting in the Capital on Tuesday. -

Our Bureau

New Delhi, Aug. 19 With the diesel demand showing an 18-per cent growth and oil companies depending on imports to bridge the gap, the Government is considering changes in tax norms to allow refineries in export-oriented units such as Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) to feed the domestic market.

It is also mulling a differential pricing for power and other industrial consumers of the fuel.

After a review meeting with the chiefs of PSU oil companies here on Tuesday, the Petroleum Minister, Mr Murli Deora, said that a consistent, long-term pricing policy for diesel is required – one which would balance social concerns with business realities. The Ministry was seeking changes in tax rules to allow EOU refineries to supply petroleum products to PSU refiners.

Mr Sarthak Behuria, Chairman, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, told news persons that “We have written to Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and the Commerce Ministry in this regard, and if the Finance Ministry also approves it, we will be able to buy diesel from Reliance as is the case with LPG.”

An EOU refinery will have to pay both customs and excise duty for selling the products in the domestic market. The excise duty comprises two components - ad valorem and specific. Currently, the EOU will have to face double taxation in specific.

In addition, the company will have to pay income-tax on its profits when it sells fuel in the domestic tariff area (DTA). “It is being examined if domestic sales by Reliance in the DTA can be given a ‘deemed export status’ and it continues to get income-tax waiver,” he said. RIL already enjoys a deemed export status for selling LPG to the PSUs.

Mr Behuria said that industrial use of subsidised diesel was pushing up demand and forcing the refiners to increase imports. The output by Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation together in 2008-09 was estimated at 39.49 million tonne, with the demand being at 54.79 m.t.

While transport and agriculture demand for diesel had grown by 10-12 per cent, consumption by power producers and other industries had risen 30 per cent.

More Stories on : Petroleum | Outlook | Reliance Industries Ltd

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