Defending the decision, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri stated that the duty hikes were meant to compensate OMCs for selling LPG at a loss. Puri also took a political swipe, pointing to price disparities between 'BJP States' and 'non-BJP States', attributing the difference to higher state-level levies in non-BJP-ruled regions.
Reacting to the announcement, shares of key OMCs witnessed an uptick: Hindustan Petroleum Corporation jumped 2.55%, Bharat Petroleum Corporation gained 2.5%, and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) rose 1.5%.