An overwhelming majority of respondents has answered in the negative. This is hardly surprising, considering the absurdity and impracticality of differential pricing of diesel for car owners. In the case of kerosene, dual pricing mechanism has been a major cause of corruption and leakage in the public distribution system. With diesel, too, dual pricing will line the pockets of fuel retailers and others at the expense of car owners and the government. A better way to regulate the subsidy on diesel will be to decontrol it, and compensate targeted beneficiaries with direct cash transfers.
