New Delhi: The price of petrol has crossed Rs 100 per litre mark in Rajasthan on Wednesday for the first time after fuel rates were hiked for the ninth day in a row. The development comes after petrol and diesel prices were increased by 25 paise per litre each, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers.
While branded or additive-laced petrol, which attracts higher taxes, had crossed the Rs 100-mark in some places in states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, this is the first time that regular petrol crossed the physiological mark in Rajasthan. In Sriganganagar town of Rajasthan, petrol price soared to Rs 100.13 a litre on Wednesday.
After Wednesday’s price increase, petrol in Delhi cost Rs 89.54 per litre and diesel Rs 79.95. In Mumbai, petrol price rose to Rs 96 a litre and diesel was priced at Rs 86.98. In Anuppur of Madhya Pradesh, petrol is priced at 99.90 per litre and diesel at Rs 90.35.
Notably, the fuel prices differ from state to state depending on the incidence of local taxes such as VAT and freight charges. Rajasthan levies the highest VAT on petrol in the country.
The record price in Rajasthan is despite the state government late last month cutting VAT on petrol and diesel by 2 per cent. The value-added tax (VAT) on petrol, after the cut, at 36 per cent plus Rs 1.5 per litre road cess is still the highest in the country. On diesel, the state levies 26 per cent and Rs 1.75 per litre road cess.
Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan last week had told Parliament that the government is not considering a reduction in excise duty to cool rates from their record highs. Central and state taxes make up for 60 per cent of the retail selling price of petrol and over 54 per cent of diesel.
(With inputs from PTI)