Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government plans to raise the prices of subsidized fuel oils next year as part of the effort to control fuel consumption, an Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry official said.

The ministry proposed the quota of subsidized fuel oils in the draft 2013 state budget at a range of 45-48 million kiloliters, the ministry`s director general of oil and gas, Evita Legowo said at a meeting with the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission VII here on Thursday.

"The forecast of 45 million kiloliters is based on the assumption that the fuel austerity program will continue and the selling prices of subsidized fuel oils will be adjusted," she said.

But she stopped short of revealing by how much the prices of subsidized fuels would be raised.

She predicted that subsidized fuel consumption would reach 48 million kiloliters in 2013 unless the austerity program and fuel price adjustment were carried out next year.

The figure represented a 9 percent increase from the fuel consumption forecast of 44 million kiloliters for this year, she said.

The forecast quota of 45 million kiloliters would consist of 28.7 million kiloliters of premium gasoline, 1.3 million kiloliters of kerosene and 15 million kiloliters of diesel oil.

Meanwhile, the forecast quota of 48 million kiloliters would consist of 30 million kiloliters of premium gasoline, 1.3 million kiloliters of kerosene and 16.7 million kiloliters of diesel oil.

Evita said subsidized fuel consumption in the year to May 28, 2012 reached 17.52 million kiloliters.(T.K007/S012)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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