TEHRAN (Dow Jones)-Iran's parliamentary energy commission has drafted a bill to raise the price of rationed gasoline in the Islamic republic by about 11 cents starting March 21, 2009, Iran's satellite English-language news Web site reported Sunday.
Rationed gasoline for the next Iranian calendar year will increase by 1,000 rials (10 cents) to 2,000 Iranian rials (around 21 cents) per liter, Press TV cites Moayyed Hosseini-Sadr, a member of the energy committee in the Iranian Majles, or parliament, as saying.
The Iranian year ends March 20.
Under Iran's current gasoline rationing scheme, which was launched in June 2007 to curb consumption and redirect money to shore up the nation's oil infrastructure, monthly quotas for government-subsidized gasoline are 120 liters a month for individual drivers, 600 liters a month for taxis and 1000 liters per month for public vehicles that transport passengers between cities.
Rationed gasoline can currently be purchased at a price of 1,000 rials a liter, and drivers can buy gasoline beyond the monthly quota at a "free market" price of 4,000 (42 cents) rials a liter.
Hosseini-Sadr said the "free" price of gasoline will be 4,000 rials, Press TV reports.
The new energy commission bill needs to be approved by the parliament's budget committee before it is put to vote, according to Press TV.
Akbar Torkan, Iran's deputy oil minister for planning, in early January said Iran will raise the price of gasoline to a value worth 90% of the Persian Gulf Free on Board (FOB) gasoline price by 2012, according to Iranian media reports.
Oil minister Gholam Hossein Nozari said in late January that a rise in the price of fuel means Iran will have to spend $3 billion by the end of the current Iranian year on gasoline and diesel imports, reported Press TV.
News Web Site: www.presstv.com
-By roshanak taghavi, Dow Jones Newswires; +98919 1064892; roshanakt@gmail.com