Big rise in daily fuel sales, CM orders probe into ‘hoarding & diversion for commercial use’

Clara Lewis & Priyanka Kakodkar

Mumbai: The state has seen a 23% rise in daily petrol sales and 52% rise in daily diesel sales over the average daily consumption, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday. While retail sales have shot up, the commercial sale of fuel has dipped, leading to suspicion that commercial enterprises are sourcing petrol and diesel from the retail market, where it is less expensive.

Fadnavis has ordered a probe into the suspected hoarding and diversion of petrol and diesel from the retail market for commercial use. The diversion creates stress on the retail market for fuel.

“The food and civil supplies department and the home department will jointly take action in this matter. In Akola, the sale has gone up by 154%. In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Beed, Chandrapur, Buldhana, Gondia and Hingoli, the sale has gone up by 70%,” the CM said.

“There is a demand for diesel from farmers and it is being provided, but undue advantage is being taken of it. Someone is hoarding, and our efforts are on to stop this hoarding,” Fadnavis said.

State food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal of the NCP also said on Tuesday that the shifting of commercial purchase of fuel to the retail sector was a key reason for the hike in petrol and diesel sales.

“We have found that commercial sales of petrol and diesel have not risen, but the retail sales have shot up. This suggests that commercial buyers have shifted to the retail sector in order to save money. We have directed that action be taken against such commercial establishments,” Bhujbal said.

He further said that in districts where retail sales had gone up significantly, the bills of commercial establishments will be examined to check their sources of fuel. He emphasized that the state had adequate stocks of petrol and diesel.

The opposition has criticised the BJP-led Central govt over the fuel price hikes. Petrol and diesel prices in Mumbai were raised again on Monday. Petrol was revised from Rs 108.49 per litre to Rs 111.21, an increase of Rs 2.72. Diesel moved from Rs 95.02 per litre to Rs 97.83, up by Rs 2.81. According to industry representatives, the latest revision has taken the cumulative rise in fuel prices to about Rs 8 per litre over 11 days following four hikes in quick succession.