Petrol price up by 55 paiser and diesel by 60 paise; consumers seek relief

Petrol price on Wednesday was hiked by 55 paise per litre and diesel by 60 paise a litre, marking the 11th consecutive day of increase in rates that now totals to Rs 6.02 for petrol and Rs 6.4 for diesel.

Petrol price in Delhi was hiked to Rs 77.28 per litre from Rs 76.73, while diesel rates were increased to Rs 75.79 a litre from Rs 75.19, according to a price notification of state oil marketing companies.

Rates have been increased across the country and vary from state to state depending on the incidence of local sales tax or VAT.

This is the 11th straight day of increase in rates since oil companies on June 7 restarted revising prices in line with costs, after ending an 82-day hiatus in rate revision.

The freeze in rates was imposed in mid-March soon after the government hiked excise duty on petrol and diesel to shore up additional finances.

Oil PSUs Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) instead of passing on the excise duty hikes to customers adjusted them against the fall in the retail rates that was warranted because of fall in international oil prices.

In 11 hikes, petrol price has gone up by Rs 6.02 per litre and diesel by Rs 6.4 a litre.

A customer, Naresh, at the same pump said that the hike in prices, especially during the phase when the city is trying to recover from the effects of Covid-19 induced lockdown is making it worse for the people and urged them to take immediate steps in this direction.