January 29, 2020: Government of India has prioritised allocation of natural gas. Fertilizer sector gets the highest priority followed by power and city gas .As domestic gas is far short of requirement, the shortfall is met through regasified LNG (RLNG). Click column Gas Scene for an update of sector-wise gas consumption since FY 2016-17.

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January 28, 2020: India imports over 84 per cent of its crude oil requirement. Crude oil is the single largest item of import in terms of foreign exchange outgo. Click column Special Database for details of volume and value of crude oil in recent years up to September 2019.

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January 27, 2020 | BPCL privatisation: Uncertainties and hurdles cloud the process. The Modi government’s decision to privatise Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) was an eminently sensible decision aimed at injecting the much needed competition into an industry virtually monopolised by the public sector oil companies. Adulteration of transportation fuels continues unabated by all retail outlets including those belonging to private players. But the government move has hit hurdles. The timing has turned out to be wrong. The finance minister Nirmala Seetharaman in her anxiety to put a lid on the Centre’s fiscal deficit announced that the sale of the government stake would be completed before March 31. The external environment is not favourable. There is resistance from a group of hardliners from the RSS. The management of Indian Oil Corporation is keen to bid though barred from doing so. A distress sale is politically damaging for the government. Click Free Access column Petro Intelligence for a comprehensive report on the subject.