GUWAHATI: With the Centre's implementation of 'Unlock 1' to get the strangled economy back on track what could be more worse than hike in fuel prices for the 14th straight day?
Petrol and diesel prices were hiked for the 14th straight day on June 20 after an 82-day hiatus from rate revision amidst the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Rates have been increased across the country and vary from state to state depending on the incidence of local sales tax or VAT.
Notably, prior to the current raise, diesel rate had touched a peak of Rs 75.69 per litre in Delhi on October 16, 2018. The highest-ever petrol price was on October 4, 2018, when rates soared to Rs 84 a litre in Delhi.
When rates had peaked in October 2018, the government had cut excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 1.50 per litre each. State-owned oil companies were asked to absorb another Re 1 a litre to help cut retail rates by Rs 2.50 a litre.
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Dynamic pricing
Worth mentioning here is that as per the daily pricing mechanism, the prices of auto fuels in the country are dependent on the international crude prices and the rupee-US dollar exchange rate as India imports around 80 per cent of its crude requirements.
Meanwhile, rising crude oil prices continue to weigh on investor sentiment amid the ongoing tension with Beijing.
Last 10 Days' Petrol Rate in Guwahati
Jun 20, 2020 Rs. 83.44
Jun 19, 2020 Rs. 83.01
Jun 18, 2020 Rs. 82.58
Jun 17, 2020 Rs. 82.16
Jun 16, 2020 Rs. 81.69
Jun 15, 2020 Rs. 81.49
Jun 14, 2020 Rs. 81.41
Jun 13, 2020 Rs. 80.81
Jun 12, 2020 Rs. 80.33
Jun 11, 2020 Rs. 79.66
Jun 10, 2020 Rs. 79.43
While the Diesel Rate in Guwahati:
Jun 20, 2020 Rs. 77.00
Jun 19, 2020 Rs. 76.49
Jun 18, 2020 Rs. 76.01
Jun 17, 2020 Rs. 75.50
Jun 16, 2020 Rs. 74.99
Jun 15, 2020 Rs. 74.71
Jun 14, 2020 Rs. 74.55
Jun 13, 2020 Rs. 73.93
Jun 12, 2020 Rs. 73.45
Jun 11, 2020 Rs. 72.77
Jun 10, 2020 Rs. 72.54
To understand consumers' sentiments in this regard, G Plus talked to a few of the traders as well as taxi operators to know their opinion on the hike in fuel prices.
Speaking to G Plus, Mukul Dev, an Ola taxi operator said, "For us we are already in trouble with low passengers intake and with the rise of diesel price vis a vis the constant fare price we are helpless."
Another trader from Fancy Bazar who deals with logistics said that although the price of the fuel is inching up day-by-day his cost to the end product is going haywire.
"People will only pay what the MRP or the wholesale price is. They wouldn't listen to us on the fuel hike factor," he added.
