Oil companies slash petrol price by Re 1 per litre; diesel price left untouched

16 Apr 2013 Evaluate

Fall in international oil prices have prompted the oil marketing companies (OMCs) to slash petrol price by Re 1 per litre - third reduction in rates in one month, effective April 15 midnight. The price cut, which was made possible, excludes local sales tax or VAT. However, diesel prices were left untouched, even though April 15 was the appointed day for putting into effect the government decision to hike rates by 40-50 paise a litre. Diesel price was last increased on March 23, by 45 paise.

After including VAT, the reduction in petrol price in Delhi comes to Rs 1.20 per litre and the fuel will cost Rs 66.09 per litre against Rs 67.29, in Mumbai it will cost Rs 1.26 less at Rs 72.88 per litre. In Chennai, the price has been cut by an equal measure to Rs 69.08 and in Kolkata it will cost Rs 73.48 a litre against Rs 74.72.

Since the last price revision, the international prices of petrol have gone down from $119.23/bbl to $116.61/bbl. Normally, oil firms review the price of petrol every two weeks. Petrol price was last revised on April 3, when it was reduced by 85 paise (without taxes), further on March 16 it was decreased by Rs 2 a litre and including VAT translated into a Rs 2.40 a litre reduction at pumps - the steepest cut in 9-month.

Though, petrol price has been deregulated since June 2010 and the price is market determined, the government still controls the price of diesel, and allows only minor revisions. The government had only this January allowed oil companies to increase the price of diesel by 40-50 paisa per litre every month until the companies have wiped out the losses they incur from having to sell diesel at subsidized rates.

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