New Delhi: The country’s fuel demand has increased for the fourth consecutive month in December. Fuel consumption reached an 11-month high in December after economic activities resumed. However, it is still two per cent below the pre-Covid-19 level. According to provisional data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell of the Ministry of Petroleum, in December 2020, the total demand for petroleum products declined to 18.5 million tonnes on an annual basis. It was 18.8 million tonnes in the same month a year ago.
Fuel consumption in December increased for the fourth consecutive month on a month-on-month basis, with transport and business activities beginning. The fuel consumption in the country in November 2020 was 18.7 million tonnes. Petrol consumption reached the pre-Covid-19 level in September. Diesel consumption was normal in October. However, its demand again declined in November. Its demand has also come down in December. In October, diesel demand grew 7.4 percent year-on-year. It declined 6.9 percent in November and 2.7 percent in December to 71.8 lakh tonnes. However, on a month-on-month basis, the demand for diesel has improved marginally. It was 70.4 lakh tonnes in November.
