With this increase, petrol has touched an all-time-high, breaching the previous high of Rs 76.06 per litre touched in Delhi on September 14, 2013. (Representational)
Petrol price in New Delhi skyrocketed to an all-time high of Rs 76.57 per litre, while the diesel rates touched a high of Rs 67.82 per litre. The surge in the prices comes after the oil PSUs passed on four weeks of continuous rise in international oil prices to consumers. The latest hike in the petrol price is the highest since the daily price revision came into force in mid-June 2017, according to a notification issued by the state-owned oil firms.
The prices have climbed high in other major metro cities as well. Fuel prices differ from state to state according to the incidence of local sales tax or VAT. While petrol costs Rs 84.40 and diesel is priced at Rs 72.21 in Mumbai, Kolkata booths have petrol at Rs 79.24 per litre and diesel at Rs 70.37 per litre. Petrol breached the Rs 80 mark in other cities including Hyderabad (Rs 81.11), Bhopal (Rs 82.12) and Patna (Rs 82.05 per litre). Petrol is being sold at Rs 77.81 per litre in Bangalore (Rs 77.81), Rs 79.47 in Chennai and Rs 78.72 in Guwahati. Diesel, meanwhile, is priced at Rs 70.79 per litre in Guwahati, Rs 68.98 in Bangalore and Rs 71.59 in Chennai.
Today’s petrol price in #Srinagar is ₹80.99. #SrinagarPetrolPrice
— #PetrolPrice (@PetrolPriceIN) May 21, 2018
With this increase, petrol has touched an all-time-high, breaching the previous high of Rs 76.06 per litre touched in New Delhi on September 14, 2013. Diesel rates are also at an all-time high level. Petrol price on Monday increased by 33 paise a litre in Delhi, while the diesel rate rose by 25 paise.
Referring to the brunt borne by the middle class because of the fuel hike, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the government is working out a solution to deal with the issue. “It’s not in our hand. There is less production of oil in OPEC countries. The government will soon come out with a solution,” he told reporters here. Pradhan, however, did not spell out the details. Stressing the need for stable and moderate oil prices, he said the surging fuel prices have a negative impact on consumers and the Indian economy. The concerns have also been conveyed to OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia, requesting it to ensure stable prices.
The Congress, meanwhile, hit out at PM Modi over the price hike post-Karnataka elections and alleged that the petrol cost was “as a tool” benefit BJP during polls. “If he (Modi) can control the price (of petrol and diesel) for his own interest during the polls in Karnataka, why can’t he do it now and all year around in public interest? That means fuel prices is just a tool for him to get the benefit in elections. On behalf of the people of India, that at least control the price if you cannot reduce it. Modi should give priority to the interest of public over his political interests.”
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