Fuel prices went up by another 80 paise per litre on Wednesday meaning prices of petrol and diesel have rise by Rs 10 a litre with 14 hikes in 16 days.
Petrol prices in Delhi crossed Rs 105 mark today to be priced at Rs 105.41, while in Mumbai, it crossed Rs 120 a litre to cost Rs 120.51. Diesel prices in the national capital stood at Rs 96.67 per, while in Mumbai it stood at Rs 104.77 per litre, reported ANI.
Petrol prices in Guwahati rose by 89 paise per litre, while diesel prices rose by 84 paise a litre, meaning cost of a litre of petrol in the city is Rs 105.66 and price of one litre of diesel stood at Rs 91.40.
Union petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that India merely saw a change of “only five per cent” in fuel prices as he defended the central government and compared the situation with rising prices in other countries.
Puri said in Lok Sabha, “Fuel prices hiked in India are 1/10th of the change of prices in other countries. Comparing gasoline (petrol) prices between April 2021 and March 2022, the prices in the United States of America (USA) have increased by 51 per cent, Canada by 52 per cent, Germany by 55 per cent, the United Kingdom (UK) by 55 per cent, France by 50 per cent, Spain 58 per cent but in India only 5 per cent.”
Notably, the opposition has been pressuring on the government demanding the rollback of the fuel price hike.
Hike in fuel prices were put on a halt in November last year which ended on March 22 as crude oil prices went up following Russian invasion of Ukriane.
Prices are set up go up further with a sharp rise in prices of crude oil in international markets. The knock-on effect is expected to be seen in prices of other items going up as well.
Moreover, Congress is holding a nationwide protest campaign ‘Mehngai Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’ against rising fuel prices which started on March 31, will end tomorrow.
