Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) kept the prices of petrol and diesel unchanged for the 18th consecutive day on August 4. The last increase, over two weeks ago, pushed the price of petrol in Delhi closer to the Rs 102 per-litre mark.
While the petrol price in New Delhi stands at Rs 101.84 a litre, diesel retails at Rs 89.87 per litre, according to Indian Oil Corporation Limited's (IOCL) price listing.
Fuel prices increased on 41 days and remained unchanged on 49 days since May 1. The 41 increases have taken up petrol price by Rs 11.44 per litre in Delhi. Similarly, diesel price has increased by Rs 9.14 per litre in the national capital in the same duration.
With no change, petrol continues to retail at Rs 107.83 a litre in Mumbai, while diesel costs Rs 97.45 per litre in Maharashtra’s capital.
The fuel prices remain unchanged in Kolkata, where the prices of a litre of petrol and diesel were Rs 102.08 and 93.02, respectively.
Chennai also retailed a litre of petrol at the same price -- Rs 102.49. Diesel price also remained unchanged at Rs 94.39 per litre in Tamil Nadu’s capital.
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 and diesel in the country, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Domestic fuel rates are benchmarked to international oil prices as India is 85 percent dependent on imports to meet its oil needs. International rates have surged since last month on a rebound in consumption.
The relentless price increase has pushed petrol rates above the Rs 100-a-litre mark in most places in 15 states including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Bihar and Punjab and at a couple of districts in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
Rates are also above the sensitive Rs 100 per litre level in four Union Territories including Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Diesel, the most used fuel in the country, is above that level in some places in Rajasthan, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.