Petrol price hiked by Rs 2.19 a litre, diesel by 98 paise

With the hike, petrol in Delhi will now cost Rs 59.68 per litre from mid-night tonight as against Rs 56.61 currently while a litre of diesel will cost Rs 48.33 compared with Rs 46.43 a litre at present.

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Oil marketing companies on Monday increased the prices of petrol by Rs 2.19 a litre while that of diesel was hiked by 98 paise.

The new prices will come into effective midnight of April 4-5.

With this hike, petrol in Delhi will now cost Rs 61.87 per litre from the mid-night tonight as against Rs 59.68 currently, said Indian Oil Corporation, the nation's biggest fuel retailer.

Similarly, a litre of diesel will cost Rs 49.31 compared with Rs 48.33 at present.

This hike comes a fortnight after oil companies increased the prices of petrol by Rs 3.07 a litre and that of diesel by Rs 1.90 on March 17.

While this is the second straight increase in petrol price, this is the fourth straight fortnightly increase in diesel rates. The three hikes in diesel rates since February 16 total Rs 3.65 per litre.

"The current level of international product prices of petrol and diesel and the rupee-US dollar exchange rate warrant increase in price of petrol and diesel, the impact of which is being passed on to consumers with this price revision," IOC said in a statement.

State-owned fuel retailers IOC, Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) revise rates of the fuel on 1st and 16th of every month based on the average oil price and the foreign exchange rate in the preceding fortnight.

The revision was due last week, but the retailers chose to defer it by a day.

"The movement of prices in the international oil market and the rupee-USD exchange rate shall continue to be monitored closely and developing trends of the market will be reflected in future price changes," IOC added.

With PTI Inputs