The loans would make gasoline stations in Java and Bali more prepared to implement the government`s program on limitation of subsidized fuels.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government will prepare Rp500 billion in soft loans for 295 gasoline stations to sell non-subsidized pertamax gasoline as part of the government`s program to limit the use of subsidized fuels in Java and Bali starting April 1.
The funds would be incorporated in the revised 2012 state budget, Director General of Oil and Gas at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry Evita Legowo said here on Tuesday.
"We have got assurance from the Finance Ministry that there is Rp500 billion in funds for soft loans to gasoline stations," she said.
But she added that she did not know yet the scheme of the soft loans which was now being drawn up at the Finance Ministry.
The loans would make gasoline stations in Java and Bali more prepared to implement the government`s program on limitation of subsidized fuels, she said.
So far, only gasoline stations in and around Jakarta had been ready to implement the government`s program as of April 1, 2012, she said.
"If all gasoline stations in Java and Bali are obliged to sell pertamax gasoline as of April 1, 2012, Pertamina will not yet be ready. They can do so in stages," she said.
Yet the number of gasoline stations selling pertamax gasoline this year was higher than that of 2010, she said.
Earlier, Pertamina spokesman M Harun said the state oil and gas company needed soft loans as new investment to develop more gasoline stations selling pertamax gasoline.
He said the investment need of 295 of Pertamina`s gasoline stations reached Rp115.9 billion or Rp393 million each.
In Java and Bali, 2080 of 3,062 Pertamina gasoline stations had sold pertamax gasoline, 687 needed to replace their ground tanks and 295 others need new investment to sell pertamax gasoline, he said.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
