Premium petrol price soars past Rs 100 in several parts of Kerala

Petrol pump

Kochi: Premium petrol prices soared past Rs 100 in several districts of Kerala on Monday.

The price of premium petrol hit the century mark at the pumps in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Idukki, Palakkad, Wayanad and Kasaragod districts.

The price of premium petrol is Rs 100.20 in Thiruvananthapuram, Rs 101.14 in Parassala, and Rs 100.24 in Sultan Bathery.

Normal petrol and diesel prices increased by 28 paise each on Monday. One litre petrol costs Rs 97.29 and diesel costs 92.63 in Thiruvanthapuram. It is Rs 95.41 and 90.86 respectively in Kochi.

The price is different in various districts, depending on the freight charges.

The fuel prices are increasing for the second consecutive day. This is the third such increase in the month of June. Fuel prices have been increased 21 times in the past 37 days.

"Increasing fuel price is a growing concern for commoners like me, especially during this lockdown period. People like me do not have any proper job due to the pandemic-induced restrictions. In such a situation, this hike is a heavy burden," Rajath, who worked as a delivery boy in a hotel in the state capital, said.

Protests

The activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the ruling CPI(M), burnt the effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Thiruvananthapuram as a mark of protest against the frequent hikes of petrol and diesel.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at the Centre over the rise in petrol prices, and said the waves of tax collection epidemic are continuously coming.

His remarks came as petrol prices in several cities crossed Rs 100 and were nearing the mark in Delhi.

"The process of unlocking has started in many states. While paying the bill at the petrol pump, you will see the rise in inflation by the Modi government. The waves of tax collection epidemic are continuously coming," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

The Congress has been critical of the government over the rising prices of petrol and diesel.

The opposition party has also been demanding that petrol and diesel be brought under the purview of the GST regime.

Pradhan blames it on global crude oil price surge

Meanwhile, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday blamed the recent surge in global crude oil prices for the fuel price hike in India.

Noting that petrol and diesel have become costlier in recent times, Pradhan said it is up to the GST Council to decide whether the fuel should be brought under the Goods and Services Tax, which, many believe, would substantially bring down the prices.

"The prices of petroleum products have gone up. The main reason is that the price of crude oil has gone over $70 (per barrel) in the international market. This negatively impacts consumers here, as India imports 80 per cent of its oil requirement," he said.

The minister was responding to a query raised by reporters about the recent fuel price hike.

He was in Gandhinagar to witness the signing of an MoU between the Gujarat government and the Indian Oil Corporation about the expansion in IOC's refinery in Vadodara.

Asked about his stand to include fuel in the GST regime as a measure to give respite to citizens from the price rise, Pradhan said he agrees with the idea.

"The price of this commodity is regulated by the global market. As a sector in-charge, I am of the opinion that fuel should be brought under the GST. But, it will be done only when members of the GST council reach a consensus on it. It is the GST Council which will take a collective decision about it," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)

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