Congress General Secretary Pradip Poudel Expresses Anger Over Government's Failure to Reduce Fuel Prices

Kathmandu. Nepali Congress General Secretary Pradip Poudel has expressed anger towards the government for not reducing fuel prices. 

He wrote on social media Facebook - 'As the price of crude oil in the international market has fallen by about 30 percent from its highest point of 117.63 dollars per barrel to 69.21 dollars. It is very sad that even after such a large price drop, Nepali consumers still have to buy fuel at the old expensive rate. Should not the general public easily receive the direct benefit and relief from the decrease in price in the international market?

He further writes - 'The Oil Corporation has been giving excuses like 'We buy refined oil, not crude, so the price will not decrease immediately' in response to the public's complaint about why the price has not decreased. There is definitely a difference in refining costs and a few days' time lag in adjusting the prices of crude and refined oil. However, such a large drop in the price of crude oil will definitely reduce the cost of refined oil proportionally. '

'Despite the passage of so many days, the general consumers are suffering more due to the non-reduction of prices by showing only old technical excuses without providing the actual information that the price is decreasing and hiding facts. This has clearly exposed the lack of good governance, extreme managerial weakness, and lack of transparency within the Nepal government and the corporation. According to the new price list that comes every 15 days, the automatic pricing system should be implemented to easily increase and decrease prices. Prices are immediately implemented when they increase, but not when they decrease. When there is a loss, consumers pay the expensive price and support, but when it is cheap, they do not get relief?' Poudel wrote.