Petrol price in India up by 28 paise and diesel 29 paise a litre; rates touch 2-year high

New Delhi: Petrol price on Sunday was hiked by 28 paise per litre and diesel by 29 paise, the fifth straight day of increase in rates due to firming international oil prices. Petrol price in Delhi rose to Rs 83.41 per litre from Rs 83.13. Diesel rates went up from Rs 73.32 to Rs 73.61 per litre, according to a price notification of oil marketing companies. Rates crossed Rs 90-mark for petrol and Rs 80 in case of diesel in Mumbai. This is the fifth straight day of price hike and the 14th increase in rates since 20 November when oil companies resumed daily price revision after nearly two-month hiatus. Rates are now at the highest level since September 2018. In 17 days, the petrol price has gone up by Rs 2.35 per litre and diesel rate has risen by Rs 3.15. Brent crude oil has risen 34 per cent from USD 36.9 per barrel on October 30 to USD 49.5 on 4 December - the last trading day - on hopes that COVID-19 vaccines would lead to demand recovery. Prior to the 20 November hike in rates in India, petrol prices had been static since 22 September and diesel rates hadn’t changed since 2 October. Public sector oil marketing companies - Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) - revise rates of petrol and diesel daily based on benchmark international oil price and foreign exchange rate. They had, however, resorted to calibrating the rates since the pandemic broke out with a view to avoiding volatility in retail prices. The 58-day hiatus in petrol price revision and 48-day status quo on diesel rates were preceded by no change in rates between30 June and 15 August and an 85-day status quo between 17 March and 6 June. In Mumbai, the petrol price was raised to Rs 90.05 per litre from Rs 89.78, while diesel rates went up from Rs 79.93 to Rs 80.23. Rates vary from state to state depending on the incidence of local sales tax or VAT.