Fuel Prices Surge, PM Displeased, Cabinet Expected to Announce Concessions

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda,’ has voiced his dissatisfaction with the Nepal Oil Corporation’s decision to raise the prices of riverine petroleum products.

Earlier today, Nepal Oil Corporation’s Executive Head, Umesh Prasad Thani, received a stern reprimand from Prime Minister Prachanda for increasing the prices without prior notification.

Thani defended the decision by citing the implementation of an automatic price adjustment system.

In response, the Prime Minister stressed the inappropriateness of unilateral price hikes, especially during the festive season.

Sources within the Prime Minister’s Office have hinted that a Cabinet meeting convened by the Prime Minister on Sunday will likely announce concessions on cooking gas.

During the corporation’s governing committee meeting on Saturday, it was decided to raise petrol prices by 2 Rs per liter, diesel and kerosene by 6 Rs per liter, and cooking gas by 215 Rs per cylinder.

With these increases, the cost of a gas cylinder has surged to 2110 Rs per cylinder.