यी हुन् सगर पाण्डे जसले ज्युदै सर्प यसरी मुखमा राख्न सक्ने र सर्फरुलाई हातैमा खेलाउन सक्ने नेपाली युबक -हेर्नुहोस डरलाग्दो भिडियो

The spokesperson for Nepal Oil Cooperation (NOC) Sitaram Pokhrel was clearly trying to cover up for his bosses. He recently told Republica that NOC was unable to lower price of petroleum products significantly since “the price of petroleum products is cheaper in Nepal compared to India” and “further deduction in price will encourage cross-border smuggling”. He was on the mark, at least on the first count. According to mypetrolprice.com, as of June 19, a liter of petrol in Motihari of Bihar, which is at a distance of 55 km from Nepal’s Birgunj, cost Indian Rs 67.8, which comes to Nepali Rs 108.48. But in Nepal, after the latest adjustment, petrol is selling at Rs 100 per liter. In Gorkhpur of Uttar Pradesh, which is just 70 km from Nepal’s Sunauli, a liter of petrol on June 19 fetched Indian Rs 67.68 (or Nepali Rs 108.28). This suggests the prices of petro products are indeed higher in India as compared to the prices in Nepal. Yet there has so far been little evidence of bulk smuggling of petro products from Nepal to India. The NOC spokesperson was thus, in a way, trying to justify the corporation’s decision to illegally profit from selling petrol products. Illegally because, according to its Articles of Association, the sole objective of the cooperation is “to distribute petroleum products by adding administrative costs on import price” and to “ensure smooth supply in the market”. In other words, NOC is not a profit-making entity.