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After HPCL, the government headhunter struggled to find a suitable candidate for the top job at Bharat Petroleum, as most applicants were narrow specialists lacking multidisciplinary experience needed to run a large organisation. The Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) last month interviewed a dozen candidates including BPCL Director (Finance) Vetsa Ramakrishna Gupta and its Director (Refineries) S Khanna but found none suitable for the job of chairman and managing director of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), according to a PESB order. It advised the administrative ministry "to choose an appropriate course of further action for selection including the search cum selection committee," according to the order. Incumbent G Krishnakumar superannuates as chairman and managing director of BPCL on April 30 this year. BPCL is the fourth company in the oil sector where PESB couldn't find a suitable candidate since 2021. PESB in May 2023 did not make any recommendation for the to
Honda Cars India on Thursday said it has achieved E20 petrol compliance certification for all the models it sells in the country. The company has achieved compliance for the Elevate, City e:HEV, City, and Amaze models. The achievement highlights Honda's commitment to sustainable mobility and supporting India's transition to greener and cleaner transportation, the automaker said in a statement. The company has embraced E20 petrol since 2009, and all Honda cars manufactured in India from January 1, 2009, are compatible with E20 materials, the company stated. Customers can freely use the E20 petrol in their existing Honda cars without durability concerns or the need to change any part in the car, the automaker said. "The latest compliance certification for all our current models ahead of the pan India E20 fuel introduction aligns with the Government of India's goal to implement greener fuels," Honda Cars India Vice President (Marketing & Sales) Kunal Behl said. The Government of ...
The Maharashtra government has a set up a seven-member committee to study the possibility of imposing a ban on petrol and diesel vehicles in the Mumbai Metropolitan Area, in view of the city's worsening air quality. The committee, headed by retired IAS officer Sudhir Kumar Shrivastava, will study and submit a report with its recommendations within three months, as per government resolution (GR) dated January 22. Maharashtra's transport commissioner, Mumbai's joint police commissioner (traffic), managing director of the Mahanagar Gas Limited, project manager of the Maharashtra State Power Distribution Company Limited (Mahavitaran), president of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), and joint transport commissioner (enforcement-1) as member secretary are the other panelists. The committee has given powers to include experts in the field as fellow members and get feedback from them, as per the GR. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) also comprises areas of the ...
India's petrol and diesel consumption soared in November as the festive season reversed a fall in demand witnessed in previous months, preliminary data of state-owned firms showed on Friday. While petrol sales had shown a year-on-year increase, diesel has been a laggard since monsoon and November was the first month that saw positive growth in consumption. Petrol sales of three state-owned firms, which control 90 per cent of the fuel market, soared 8.3 per cent to 3.1 million tonnes in November compared to 2.86 million tonnes of consumption in the same month last year. Diesel demand was up 5.9 per cent to 7.2 million tonnes. Petrol and diesel sales have been tepid during the monsoon months as rains reduced vehicular movement and demand for the agriculture sector. Petrol demand however soared once rains eased but diesel consumption lagged year-on-year. Month-on-month petrol sales were up 4.7 per cent when compared to 2.96 million tonnes of consumption in October. Diesel demand was
India's petrol consumption soared 7.3 per cent in October on the back of increased demand from the start of festive season but diesel sales were down 3.3 per cent, preliminary data of state-owned firms showed on Friday. Petrol sales of three state-owned firms, which control 90 per cent of the fuel market, rose to 3.1 million tonnes during October when compared to 2.87 million tonnes of consumption in the same month last year. Diesel demand dropped 3.3 per cent to 6.7 million tonnes. While petrol sales were up mostly due to an increase in use of personal vehicles as the festive season kicked in, diesel demand dropped due to lower demand from the agriculture sector owing to the extended rainy season. Petrol and diesel sales have been tepid during the last few months as monsoon rains reduced vehicular movement and demand for the agriculture sector. Month-on-month petrol sales were up 7.8 per cent when compared to 2.86 million tonnes of consumption in September. Diesel demand was howe
A reduction in crude oil prices in recent weeks has improved margins on retail auto fuels, providing state-owned firms a headroom to cut petrol and diesel prices by Rs 2-3 per litre, rating agency Icra said on Thursday. The price of a basket of crude oil India imports averaged USD 74 per barrel in September, down from about USD 83-84 a barrel in March when petrol and diesel prices were last cut by Rs 2 per litre. In a note, Icra said the marketing margins on retail sales of auto fuels for the Indian Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have improved in recent weeks with the reduction in crude prices. The rating agency anticipates that there is headroom for the downward revision of retail fuel prices if crude prices remain stable at current levels. Girishkumar Kadam, Senior Vice President and Group Head, Corporate Ratings, ICRA, said: "ICRA estimates that the OMCs' net realisation was higher by Rs 15 per litre for petrol and Rs 12 a litre for diesel vis--vis international product prices i
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday said India is the only country where rates of petrol and diesel have come down between November 2021 and April 2024. Replying to various queries during Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, the minister also informed that the government is encouraging dialogue between Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and dealers regarding margins for the latter. Puri noted that petrol and diesel were deregulated during the UPA government. Deregulation means that prices of the commodity in the market are not set by the government, he added. "Prices here being high and elsewhere being low. It's exactly the opposite. In India today, the prices are the lowest and is the only country where prices have actually come down," Puri said. He attributed this to very bold, ambitious and farsighted decisions taken by the Prime Minister. "The prices in the world, I am giving you a two-year reference period between November 2021 and April 2024. Why I'm
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday defended the hike in petrol and diesel prices saying that it will ensure funding essential public services and development projects. With the opposition BJP and its ally JD(S) coming down heavily on the Congress government for increasing the petrol and diesel prices by Rs 3 and Rs 3.5 per litre respectively, Siddaramaiah said even after the hike, taxes on fuel remains low compared to most southern states. "The Government of Karnataka has increased VAT on petrol to 29.84 per cent and on diesel to 18.44 per cent. Even after this hike, our state's taxes on fuel remain lower than most South Indian states and similar economy-sized states like Maharashtra," the Chief Minister said in a statement. According to him, the VAT on petrol is 25 per cent plus Rs 5.12 additional tax, and on diesel in Maharashtra it is 21 per cent. Karnataka's revised rates are still more affordable, he pointed out. "Karnataka's VAT adjustment ensures we can fund ...
India's diesel sales continued to slide in May while petrol consumption was almost flat despite election campaigns for the general elections hitting a peak, preliminary data of state-owned firms showed on Thursday. Electioneering for general elections traditionally has led to a surge in fuel demand as candidates extensively use automobiles to reach voters. But the trend in sales by PSUs so far does not reflect that. Petrol sales of three state-owned firms, which control 90 per cent of the fuel market, at 1.367 million tonnes in the first half of May was almost the same as 1.36 million tonnes of fuel consumed in the same period last year. Month-on-month consumption however soared 11 per cent. Diesel sales dropped 1.1 per cent to 3.28 million tonnes during May 1 to 15. The demand for the nation's most consumed fuel had fallen 2.3 per cent in April and 2.7 per cent in March. Besides electioneering, the summer harvest season is also the scorching summer that increases the demand for ai