Petrol price touches Rs 90 in Mumbai, diesel at all time high in Delhi

Petrol prices touched the crucial Rs 90 mark in the financial capital Mumbai on Monday. The petrol price went up by 11 paise in Delhi taking it to Rs 82.72 per litre which is the cheapest among the metro cities around the country. Not only petrol prices in Mumbai crossed all-time high rate, diesel in Mumbai also went up by 5 paise, taking it to Rs 74 per litre.

Petrol is being sold in the capital and financial capital raises a serious concern for the government but it does not seem to take any concrete step to reduce rising fuel prices around the country. Notably, the government has cited external factors behind soaring global crude oil prices, leading to a relentless hike in petrol and diesel prices around the country.
Last week only two of the Maharashtra districts, where petrol was being sold over Rs 90, but now it is being sold in Mumbai too. If we talk about the current time, there is hardly any city across the country where petrol is being sold below Rs 80 per litre. Diesel is being sold at Rs 72 per litre in Chandigarh, which is lowest in the country.

There are many cities, including Htderabad, where people are paying almost Rs 80 per litre for diesel. Despite the continuous hike in fuel prices, the centre has denied cutting current levels of excise duty on both petrol and diesel, reasoning that it would lead to an irrecoverable revenue loss to the exchequer. While few states have tried reducing taxes on their own, their efforts have been dwarfed by globally rising crude oil prices.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recently told Times Now, “He is willing to bring petrol and diesel under the ambit of Goods and Services Tax or GST but needs approval from stakeholders.”

“I want petrol and diesel to come under the ambit of GST. The GST Council should take a decision on this. State governments are more powerful than the Centre in the GST Council meeting,” Pradhan added.

Also read: Petrol Prices touches Rs 90 per litre in Maharashtra