Fuel retailers warn of threat to Indian jobs

For a direct illustration of the cost of fuel subsidies in India, one need only look at the disaster that has befallen private sector petrol pump operators in the country.

In August, frustrated by the government’s pricing policies, the heads of the three largest operators, Shell India, Reliance Industries and Essar Oil, took the rare step of sending Manmohan Singh, prime minister, a letter calling for a meeting with him on the issue.