Fuel prices hiked again; diesel closes in on ₹100/l in Raj
After petrol, diesel is now at almost ₹100 per litre mark in Rajasthan as oil firms raised fuel prices yet again.
Petrol price was hiked by 29 paise per litre and diesel by 28 paise, according to a price notification of fuel retailers.
The hike—the 22nd since May 4—took fuel prices across the country to historic highs.
Petrol is retailing above the ₹100 per litre mark in six states and union territories—rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Ladakh.
In Delhi, petrol hit an all-time high of ₹95.85, while diesel is now priced at ₹86.75 per litre.
Fuel prices differ from state to state depending on the incidence of local taxes such as VAT and freight charges.
Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan near the India-pakistan border has the costliest fuel in the country -- petrol is priced at ₹106.94 a litre and diesel at ₹99.80. This small town was the first in the country to see petrol price hit ₹100 a litre mark in mid-february. Premium or additive laced petrol in the town sells for ₹110.22 a litre and same grade diesel at ₹103.47.
Rajasthan levies the highest
VAT on petrol and diesel in the country, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Mumbai on May 29 became the first metro in the country where petrol was being sold at over ₹100 a litre. Petrol now costs ₹102.04 a litre in the city and diesel comes for ₹94.15.
The hike on Friday was the 22nd increase in prices since May 4, when state-owned oil firms ended an 18-day hiatus in rate revision they observed during assembly elections in states like West Bengal.
Meanwhile, the Congress leaders and party workers on Friday held symbolic protests at petrol pumps in several parts of the city, demanding a complete rollback of fuel price hike.
Party leaders K C Venugopal and Shakti Singh Gohil reached the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium petrol pump on a horse cart.