Govt forms panel on fuel pricing reforms

The government has formed a five-member committee headed by Kirit S Parikh to suggest reforms in pricing of auto and cooking fuels.

"The Expert Group headed by Parikh will submit its recommendations in three months," Petroleum Secretary R S Pandey told reporters here.

Other members of the committee are Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations Chairperson Isher Judge Ahluwalia, National Council of Applied Economic Research Director General Suman K Bery and the secretaries of yje ministries of finance and petroleum.

The panel headed by Parikh, a former member (energy) of the Planning Commission who was the author of Integrated Energy Policy, will be the third committee on the issue with recommendations of previous C Rangarajan committee and B K Chaturvedi committee not fully implemented.

Pandey said the new group will "advise on viable and sustainable system of pricing of petroleum products" and examine the current pricing policy of petrol, diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene.     

The group will examine the current taxation structure as well as the financial health of the public sector firms to suggest a "viable and sustainable pricing policy".