Fuel prices to reduce before Lok Sabha polls? Here's what Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has to say

Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs and Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri has said that it is a "misconception" that the government would reduce fuel prices ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year.

Puri made the remarks on August 19 at the Aaj Tak G20 Summit in New Delhi. When asked about the reduction in fuel prices ahead of the polls, Puri said that this was a claim spread by the media but holds no substance in it.

He further said that the government has been taking steps to reduce fuel prices, but that these steps have been constrained by the rise in international crude oil prices.

The Union Minister enlightened the public about the fuel prices in India, explaining the various factors influencing them. These factors include international prices, transportation costs, refining expenses, and taxes imposed by the government. He stressed that the fuel prices in the country are not arbitrary but are dictated by how the government handles these factors.

It is worth noting, the minister said, that when the global oil prices skyrocketed in the wake of the pandemic in 2022, the government did not pursue any reduction pressure on oil-supplying nations. Instead, the government, in its wisdom, reduced the excise duty on fuel to alleviate the price burden on Indian consumers.

"In addition, in BJP-ruled states, the government reduced the Value-Added Tax on fuel to further reduce the prices by Rs 8 to Rs 11," he said.

When asked about the opposition alliance INDIA during the event, he recalled a conversation with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during which the AAP leader stated that he will completely oppose dynastic politics.

Puri claimed that when he questioned Kejriwal why he was a member of the opposition alliance, the AAP leader answered by saying that it was just "politics."

Taking a dig at the opposition bloc, Hardeep Puri said, "Being enthusiastic is important in politics, especially if you have no substance."

He further spoke about India hosting the G20 Summit this year. "India's experience has a lot of relevance for developing countries," Puri said.

The Union Minister stated that India is developing a nation that is now being billed as the "voice of the global South," citing the country's ranking as the fifth largest economy.

While mentioning the metro train system, which started during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's term in 2002, Puri said that it is going to be the world's second-largest metro system after China.

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