"The additional quota is being calculated based on the realized consumption," Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government will soon propose an additional quota of subsidized gasoline and diesel oil under the revised 2013 state budget to the House of Representatives (DPR), Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik said.

The quota of subsidized gasoline and diesel oil set under the 2013 state budget was no longer enough, he said here on Wednesday.

"The additional quota is being calculated based on the realized consumption," he said.

Data from state oil and gas company PT Pertamina show subsidized diesel oil consumption in the first quarter of 2013 reached 3.703 million kiloliters, or 5.2 percent above the quota of 3.52 million kiloliters.

However, subsidized gasoline consumption in the same period stood at 7.035 million, accounting for 98.3 percent of the quota of 7.159 million kiloliters.

Under the 2013 state budget, the total quota of subsidized fuels has been set at 46.01 million kiloliters consisting of 29.2 million kiloliters of gasoline, 1.7 million kiloliters of kerosene, and 15.11 million kiloliters of diesel oil.

Subsidized fuel oil consumption reached 45.07 million kiloliters last year.

Now that the 2013 quota of 46.01 million kiloliters was only 2 percent above last year`s realized consumption of 45.07 million kiloliters, subsidized fuel consumption this year would exceed the quota set in the state budget, the minister said.

The 2012 consumption represented a 9 percent increase compared to the realized consumption the year before, he said.

With the economic growth rate projected to reach 6.5 percent and the number of middle class people expected to increase to 45 million this year, the quota of subsidized fuels would no doubt be affected, he said.

"Therefore, we must strive for additional quota," he said.

The government on Tuesday instructed Pertamina to increase subsidized diesel oil supplies following long queues of motor vehicles at a number of gasoline stations, he said.

"The supplies are actually for the ensuing month," he said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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