Petrol prices hiked again, cross 100 mark in MP, Rajasthan; PM blames Congress

Representative image (Source: Reuters)

Continuing its upward trend petrol and diesel touch new highs across the country on February 18. The petrol price in Delhi was hiked by 34 paise reaching Rs. 89.88 per litre as compared to Rs 89.54 per litre on February 17, according to state-owned fuel retailers. Diesel price in the national capital also touched a new high at Rs 80.27, increasing 32 paise from the previous day.

The retail price of regular petrol hit the three-figure mark on February 17 for the first time when it was hiked by 34 paise to Rs 100.13 a litre in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar, while diesel got dearer by 27 paise to Rs 92.13, according to the data available in Indian Oil Corporation’s website.

Petrol price in Anuppur, Madhya Pradesh also crossed Rs. 100 mark reaching Rs. 100.25 per litre on Thursday. Diesel price also stood at Rs. 90.35 per litre in the region.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, however, blamed the previous governments for not focussing on reducing India's energy import dependence.

According to news agency PTI, PM Modi on February 17 without naming Congress government said: "I do not want to criticise anyone but I want to say [that] had we focused on this subject much earlier, our middle-class would not be burdened."

In Mumbai, the prices rose to Rs 96.32 per litre and Rs 87.32 per litre for petrol and diesel respectively.

Meanwhile, automobile owners in Chennai shell out Rs 91.98 per litre and Rs 85.31 per litre of petrol and diesel. The prices in Kolkata reach Rs 91.11 per litre for petrol and Rs 83.86 per litre for diesel.

The difference in prices in states stems from local and VAT taxes imposed in states. Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had ruled out the possibility of a reduction in taxes on petrol and diesel in order to reduce prices.

"There is no such proposal at present," he said in Rajya Sabha. He added that taxes are increased or decreased depending on several factors like the requirement of the government and market situation.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had said that the state will cut down the fuel prices by approximately Rs. 7 per litre.