Price of diesel has crossed Rs 80 mark for the first time in Delhi. On Thursday, the price of diesel in the city was reported to be Rs 80.02 a litre, up 14 paise, while that of petrol increased by 16 paise to Rs 79.92 a litre.The price of diesel continued to be higher in the city for a second straight day on Thursday. This was for as 19th day in a row that fuel prices saw no downward trend in India. In Mumbai, the price of petrol touched Rs 86.7 a litre and diesel went up to Rs 78.34 a litre. In Kolkata, the prices were at Rs 81.61 a litre and Rs 75.18 a litre.
A major reason for diesel being dearer than Petrol in Delhi was an increase in value-added tax (VAT) levied on diesel by the state government in May 2020. On Wednesday, Sanjiv Singh, chairman of Indian Oil Corporation, also blamed higher VAT for the rising diesel prices in Delhi. The government has been facing the wrath of the oppostion over the continous increase in fuel prices.