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News Desk: Defending the Union government over the unprecedented hike in fuel prices, Uttar Pradesh minister Upendra Tiwari on Thursday said that 95 per cent of people in the country do not need petrol.
He further claimed that the fuel prices are very low if per capita income is compared to the fuel prices in the country.
“…Only a handful of people use 4-wheelers and need petrol. 95 per cent of people don’t need petrol. Over 100 cr vaccine doses were administered free of cost to people…If you compare (fuel price) to per capita income, prices are very low now” Tiwari was quoted as saying.
Petrol and diesel prices on Thursday rallied to their highest-ever levels across the country, as fuel rates were hiked again for a second consecutive day by the highest margin so far this year of upto 45 paise a litre.
According to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers, the pump price of petrol in Delhi rose by 35 paise to its highest-ever level of Rs 106.54 a litre while diesel prices rose by their highest margin so far this year of 45 paise to Rs 95.27 a litre.
Earlier on Wednesday, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri reacted to the fuel price hike and said that it’s an international issue.
“This is an international issue, global economic recovery can be undermined if energy prices remain high not just for India, but also for other nations too. It’s in the interest of both producing and importing nations to have affordable energy” said the Petroleum Minister.