Petrol, diesel prices increased by 60 paise a litre

Following an increase in prices of LPG, oil marketing companies on Sunday hiked petrol and diesel prices by 60 paise per litre each.

After the hike, petrol will cost Rs 71.86 per litre in Delhi, and diesel, Rs 69.99 a litre.

In Bangalore, petrol will cost Rs 78.18 per litre and diesel Rs 66.54.

Petrol will be the costliest in Mumbai at Rs 78.91 per litre.

This is the first nationwide hike in petrol and diesel prices since March 16, a little before the country went into the nationwide lockdown.

Though several states have increased VAT on both fuels during the lockdown period.

The move comes nearly a month after the Centre raised excise duty by a whopping Rs 10 and Rs 13 per litre on petrol and diesel respectively.

The price increase in transport fuels has been effected after demand returned with the staggered opening of the economy.

The cash-strapped government had late last month increased domestic cooking gas (LPG) prices by Rs 11 per cylinder for all consumers barring those benefit from Prime Minister's Ujwalla scheme.

Last week officials from the finance ministry had denied the government would resort to hiking transport fuel prices after it raised excise duty.

Crude oil prices have firmed in the international market in the past fortnight and a barrel is now costing around $42 from a historic low of $20 in April.

India is the net importer of crude oil and ships more 80% of its domestic requirements.