Petrol and diesel prices increased for the 12th consecutive day on Thursday as the demand for fuel returns to its level before the imposition of the countrywide lockdown to control the spread of coronavirus.
Petrol prices rose by 53 paise per litre while the cost of diesel increased by 64 paise. Cumulatively, the rates of petrol and diesel have gone up by Rs 6.55 and Rs 7.04 in 12 days, respectively.
In Delhi, petrol prices rose to Rs 77.81 a litre from Rs 77.28, while diesel rates went up to Rs 76.43 per litre from Rs 75.79, according to the Indian Oil Corporation.
In Mumbai, petrol prices rose to Rs 84.66 per litre from Rs 84.15. Diesel, which was priced at Rs 74.32 on Wednesday, went up to Rs 74.93. Petrol prices in Chennai rose to Rs 81.32 on Thursday, up from Rs 80.86. Diesel prices in the city went up to Rs 74.23 from Rs 73.69.
Petrol prices in Kolkata reached Rs 79.59, up from Rs 79.08 on Wednesday. Diesel prices went up to Rs 71.96 from Rs 71.38.
The opposition has criticised the Centre for the incessant increase in fuel prices amid the coronavirus pandemic. On Tuesday, Congress President Sonia Gandhi demanded a rollback of the increased rates, saying the Centre’s decision to introduce successive increases over the past week amidst a pandemic is “wholly insensitive” and ill-advised. She had pointed out that the international price of crude oil had fallen by approximately 9%, but the Centre was doing “nothing short of profiteering off its people”.
Across the world, oil prices fell around 2% on Thursday as increase in coronavirus cases in the United States and China held back recovery.
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