New Delhi: Sri Ganganagar, a small city in northernmost part of Rajasthan near the India-Pakistan border has become the first city in the country where retail prices of both auto fuels -- petrol and diesel -- have crossed the century mark. The city already has the distinction of having the highest pump price of petrol across the country at Rs 107.23 a litre. Petrol price in the city crossed the crucial century mark last February. With latest hike, diesel prices have increased by another 25 paisa per litre on Saturday and is sold at Rs 100.06 a litre.
However, the record may not be held for long as elsewhere in Rajasthan as well, especially towns near the border areas, diesel is expected to touch the Rs 100-mark soon. Similarly, a few places in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, where by virtue of higher VAT rates, fuel prices are always much higher than rest of the country. Premium fuels have already been above the Rs 100-mark in several cities for past few months.
What had brought fuel prices closer to Rs 100-per-litre-mark is the consistent increase in retail prices by oil marketing companies (OMCs) for last five to six weeks. Even on Saturday, OMCs raised the price of petrol and diesel by 22-32 paisa per litre across the country, the second consecutive increase in as many days. With the latest increase, the retail prices of petrol and diesel increased by 27 paisa per litre and 23 paisa per litre to touch Rs 96.12 and Rs 86.98 per litre, respectively in Delhi.
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In Mumbai, where petrol prices crossed Rs 100-mark for the first time ever on May 29, the fuel price reached new high of Rs 102.36 per litre on Saturday. Diesel prices also increased in the city to reach Rs 94.45 a litre, the highest among metros. Across the country as well petrol and diesel prices increased on Saturday but its retail prices varied depending on the level of local taxes in different states.
With Saturday's price hike, fuel prices have now increased on 23 days and remained unchanged on 20 days since May 1. The 22 increases has taken up petrol prices by Rs 5.72 per litre in Delhi. Similarly, diesel have increased by Rs 6.26 per litre in the national capital. With global crude prices also rising on a pick up demand and depleting inventories of worlds largest fuel guzzler -- US, retail prices of fuel in India is expected to firm up further in coming days. The benchmark Brent crude is currently close to $74 on the ICE or Intercontinental Exchange.
(With IANS Inputs)
