Diesel demand drops first time in ten years: Indian Oil Corporation

December 6, 2013

Diesel-demandNew Delhi, Dec 6: Diesel demand has declined for the first time in over a decade as monthly price increase and rise in power generation pulled down demand, Indian Oil chairman R S Butola said on Thursday.

"This year, there has been 0.8-1% de-growth," Butola said at the 3rd World Energy Summit here. Improved power generation reduced use of generator sets, which resulted in lesser demand for diesel.

But, the bigger reason is the move to deregulate diesel rates through small monthly increases. "Small adjustments of 50 paise every month has brought some parity with cost," Butola said. Diesel rates have risen by a cumulative Rs 6.62 per litre since January, which has also lead to a drop in demand for diesel cars.

Diesel is India's most-consumed fuel, accounting for close to 45% of the demand of total petroleum products. Since 2003-2004, the demand for the main transportation fuel had been growing at a healthy rate of 6-8%.

Butola said petrol consumption had dropped when the fuel was deregulated in June 2010 but diesel continued to see rise in consumption as it was heavily subsidized, thereby discouraging people to use it optimally. Now petrol is at par with its cost of production but the current selling price of diesel is still Rs 9.99 a litre less than cost. "We believe that market forces need to be allowed to have proper inter-play (on demand and consumption)," he said.

While diesel sales dropped in the first seven months of the fiscal, petrol consumption rose by 10% to 9.1 million tonnes. But, overall fuel demand during the April-October period was largely unchanged at 90.6 million tonnes against 90.2 million tonnes in the same period last year.

Besides losing Rs 9.99 a litre on diesel, state-run fuel retailers are losing Rs 36.2 per litre on kerosene sold through ration shops and Rs 542.5 per cylinder of cooking gas.

The slowdown in economic growth could also be a factor in dampening demand. Growth slowed to a decade low of 5% in 2012-13 and is expected to be in the same territory in the current fiscal year as well. Industrial growth has also remained sluggish.

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News Network
April 6,2020

New Delhi, Apr 6: With an increase of 490 cases in the last 12 hours, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in India climbed to 4067, said Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Monday.

As many as 109 deaths have been reported across the country due to the deadly disease.
There are 3666 active cases in the country while 292 people have been cured/discharged/migrated.

Maharashtra has reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases so far, standing at 690, followed by Tamil Nadu and Delhi with 571 and 503 cases respectively. 

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News Network
May 10,2020

New Delhi, May 10: The Delhi government has asked district magistrates to release 2,446 Tablighi Jamaat members from quarantine centres and ensure that they do not stay in any other place except their homes.

The district magistrates will explore the possibility of sending those Tablighi members, who belong to other states, in buses to their designated places in accordance with social distancing norms and other protocols, DDMA Special CEO K S Meena said in a letter to deputy commissioners (administration).

As man as 567 foreign attendees of the congregation held in Delhi's Nizamuddin area in March, will be handed over to the police, Meena said.

"They (foreign Jamaat attendees) will be handed over to police in connection with several violations like visa violation," a government official said on Saturday.

Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain had recently ordered the release of Tablighi members who have completed their required quarantine period in centres and tested negative for COVID-19.

"Out of such people belonging to Delhi, who could be released as per prescribed guidelines should be issued passes to travel from the quarantine centres.

"Under no circumstances, the aforesaid persons should be allowed to stay in any other places including mosques," Meena said in the letter.

In respect of those Tablighi members belonging to other states, it should be ensured by the nodal officer and the area ACP that such people reach their place of residence, he also said.

"The DC should also inform the respective resident commissioner of their states in respect of each and every movement of such persons from Delhi," the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) Special CEO said.

Thousands of Tablighi Jamaat members had been taken out of its Markaz (centre) in Nizamuddin, where they had gathered for a religious congregation, and quarantined as the area became a major hotspot after a number of members tested positive for coronavirus.

On March 31, the Delhi Police's Crime Branch had lodged an FIR against seven people, including Maulana Saad Kandhalvi, on a complaint by Station House Officer, Nizamuddin, for holding the congregation.

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News Network
July 12,2020

Gurugram, Jul 12: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the whole world was appreciating India's successful fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking ahead of the mega tree plantation drive of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) at the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Officers' Training Academy in Kadarpur village here, the Home Minister also lauded the contribution of security forces in the battle against COVID-19 in the country.

"India is one of the most populous countries. Everyone thought how will a country like India battle COVID-19, there were apprehensions but today the whole world is witnessing how one of the most successful battles against COVID-19 has been fought here," the Home Minister said.

"In India's battle against COVID-19, all of our security forces are playing a huge role, nobody can deny it. Today, I salute these corona warriors. They have proved that they not only know how to fight terrorism but also against COVID with help of people," he added.

The Union Home Minister said that many jawans have given up their lives during the COVID-19 crisis phase and paid tributes to them.

"I have talked to families of those jawans and today once again I thank them, your sacrifice will not go waste. Whenever the history of the human race's fight against COVID-19 is written, the contribution of India's security forces will be mentioned in golden ink," he said.

He also hailed the plantation drive and said that trees planted today should be taken care of by the jawans till they reach maturity, he added the trees chosen for plantation today consisted mostly those which had a long life and would help the generations to come.

Together the CAPFs have targeted to plant around 10 lakh tree saplings across the country today. Heads of all the CAPFs or their representatives were present in the event held at Gurugram. 

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