'Govt working on long-term plan to curb, control fuel prices'

The Union government is working on a long-term plan to provide relief to people from rising fuel prices, Union Minister Piyush Goyal today said.

"International crude oil prices have risen sharply in recent times, which have impacted the prices of petrol and diesel in the country.

"The Centre, in consultation with states, is making a long-term plan so that the prices could be reduced and controlled in future," Goyal said at a press conference here.

Asked for details of this plan and when it would be introduced, the minister said, "We will announce it at the right time."
On the demand of bringing petroleum products under the Goods and Services Tax (GST), Goyal said, "I hope there will be a discussion on bringing petroleum products under the new tax regime at the next meeting of GST Council."
On the BJP's defeat in the Kairana Lok Sabha bypoll in Uttar Pradesh, Goyal said, "By-elections are fought on local issues, though it is true that we did not get success in some bypolls."
On the alleged bank scams involving fugitive industrialists such as Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi, Goyal said, "The UPA government made arbitrary changes in the rules and regulations to provide financial benefits to such people so that loans could be given to them."