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Amid rising oil consumption and import bill owing to higher international prices, the government is examining the possibility of fuel conservation through reduced working days a week. It hopes to save an estimated annual foreign exchange of up to $2.7 billion.
In the first case based on four working days and three holidays in which retail is open like a weekend, the average POL saving is estimated at $122m a month or $1.5bn a year. It may be noted that 90pc of oil consumption is assumed for working days and the remaining 10pc for holiday in a month.
In the second case based on four working days, two holidays and one day of lockdown (retail to remain closed for one day), the saving in the shape of reduced oil import is estimated at $175m a month or $2.1bn a year.
In the third scenario based on four working days, one holiday and two days of lockdown (commercial activities to remain off for two days), the POL saving in import bill could be around $230m or about $2.7bn. This case, however, is considered too harsh as it could negatively affect public confidence.
Officials said the Power Division had advised the new government soon after it came to office to go for reduced working days and limit commercial activities to daylight and launch a national energy conservation drive across the energy consumption sectors with electricity saving of more than 5000MW.
