Only in India is ATF cheaper than petrol: Ram Naik
Press Trust of India / Mumbai Nov 21, 2008, 20:11 IST
Former Petroleum Minister Ram Naik has flayed the UPA government lowering prices of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), saying India is the only country where ATF is cheaper than petrol.
"This is the eighth wonder of the world. In no other country will you find that ATF is cheaper than petrol", Naik said here today.
The senior BJP leader has put up hoardings decrying the government over the move in the North Mumbai Lok Sabha constituency, where he lost to Bollywood actor Govinda in the 2004 elections.
"ATF is sold at Rs 40 per litre to the airlines, whereas petrol which is consumed by the common man, the mobike riders, taxi and autorickshaw users costs Rs 57 per litre," he said.
"The government is leaning towards the affluent and rich people, that is why it reduced ATF prices but did not reduce price of diesel and petrol despite substantial fall in their international prices," Naik said.
Petrol usage is probably the most inefficient in terms of liter per passenger. Examples are cars driven to transport a single person. This should come down in India so that the economy and the environment will be benefited. This can happen only if the subsidy on petrol is removed. At the same time, the fuel used by vehicles of mass transportation - be it diesel (only for Transport vehicles, not luxury cars) and ATF - should be subsidized, even by charging a premium price for petrol.
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Former Petroleum Minister Ram Naik has flayed the UPA government lowering prices of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), saying India is the only country where ATF is cheaper than petrol.
