 "oil tanker, crude oil storage tanks")
The Centre has ruled out an increase in excise duties on petroleum, and believes that softening global crude prices would dampen inflation, which would induce the Reserve Bank to cut policy rates.
“We are not in favour of an excise duty hike as that would add to inflationary pressures for the end-users. Softening inflation due to oil prices would increase consumers comfort,” a top government official said.
“The crude oil prices have led to bond yields also coming down. This will also have a counter-inflationary impact, and could lead to a situation which is conducive for a rate cut,” the official said. On Monday, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Indian government debt slid below 6 per cent for the
