30 per cent of cars sold last year were with diesel engines The growing gap between the prices of petrol and diesel has given a boost to the sale of Diesel Cars even as environmentalists cry foul over the public health impact due to the increasing use of diesel, which is also referred to as “dirty fuel” in Indian cities. While petrol consumers are paying market-linked prices of Rs. 66.84 per litre...

-The Hindu   Nothing is more reflective of the confusion and mix-up of priorities of the United Progressive Alliance government than the mismanagement of fuel pricing. While struggling to control inflation through monetary policy, the government sees no problem in allowing oil marketing companies to continually raise the price of petrol. The latest hike, by more than Rs.3 a litre, comes on top of the two substantial increases earlier this year. Although...

-The Telegraph   The government may introduce dual rates for diesel — with the price of the fuel higher in cars and commercial power compared with the price for truckers and farmers — to prevent its misuse. During a parliamentary debate on the price rise, Opposition leaders asked finance minister Pranab Mukherjee if the government would withdraw subsidy benefits on diesel used by premium cars and commercial users such as telecom tower...

Plan to levy market rate on owners of luxury cars Faced with growing diesel consumption and rising under recoveries, the Union government on Thursday said it was working on “dual pricing of diesel” wherein luxury car owners could be asked to pay the market rate and subsidised diesel restricted to farmers and the transport sector. “These proposals are being considered by the Finance Ministry,” Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister S. Jaipal Reddy...

-The United Nations   Fast and relatively short-term action to curb soot and smog could improve human health, generate higher crop yields, reduce climate change and slow the melting of the Arctic, according to a United Nations-backed study released today. The study, compiled by an international team of more than 50 researchers and coordinated by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), “complements urgent action needed to cut...