Basic excise duty rate on petrol, diesel reduced by Rs 2 per litre

New Delhi: The government has reduced basic excise duty rate on both branded and unbranded petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre, Finance Ministry said on Tuesday.

The revised prices will be applicable with effect from October 4. Petrol and diesel will cost Rs 2 a litre less from Wednesday after the first excise duty cut by the Modi government comes into effect.

Petrol currently costs Rs 70.88 per litre in Delhi while a litre of diesel is priced at an all-time high of Rs 59.14.

The Finance Ministry said that this has been done to cushion the impact of rising international prices of crude petroleum oil, petrol and diesel on their retail sale prices.

Revenue loss on account of these reductions in excise duty is about Rs 26,000 crore in full year and Rs 13,000 crore in remaining part of current financial year, the ministry said.

Normal or unbranded petrol currently commands a basic excise duty of Rs 8.48 per litre, special additional excise duty of Rs 7 a litre and additional excise duty of Rs 6. The total excise incidence on branded petrol is Rs 22.66 per litre with basic excise duty is charged at higher rate of Rs 9.66.

Unbranded diesel attracts basic excise duty of Rs 10.33 per litre, special additional excise duty of Re 1 and additional excise duty of Rs 6 per litre. Branded diesel attracts Rs 12.69 per litre basic excise duty, Re 1 a lire additional excise duty and Rs 6 special additional excise duty.

State-owned oil companies in June dumped the 15-year old practice of revising rates on 1st and 16th of every month and instead adopted a dynamic daily price revision to instantly reflect changes in cost. Rates during the first fortnight starting June 16 dropped but have been on the rise since July 4.

With PTI Inputs