New oil minister skips comment on gas price

Officials said the first challenge before Dharmendra Pradhan was the implementation of a gas price rise

Ahead of a decision on raising gas prices, new petroleum  minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday indicated he would follow a pro-poor approach and focus on energy self-reliance.

Hailing from Odisha, Pradhan is a Rajya Sabha member from Bihar.

He is the son of Debendra Pradhan, junior minister of transport in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.

Pradhan said to become an economic powerhouse, India had to be self-reliant in energy. Refraining from saying anything on a gas price rise, the minister said, “I understand there are a lot of issues and problems attached to this sector. I want to study all those in detail before commenting on the matter.”

When asked about monthly diesel price rises, he said the government was committed towards the betterment of the poor. “The poor people in this country have shown their confidence in this government and we will work for their betterment.”

Ministry officials said the first challenge before the minister was the implementation of a gas price rise. The new minister also faces the task of hastening the 10th round of the New Exploration and Licensing Policy.

In a presentation before the new minister, the officials  of the ministry might push for reduction of the number of subsidised liquefied petroleum gas cylinders from 12 to nine or six a year. The new minister will also have to address continuation of diesel price decontrol and implementation of the Kirit Parikh committee’s report on fuel pricing soon.

In a presentation before the new government, officials highlighted the fact that production-sharing contracts were beset by legal disputes and should be revised.