Rashmi Ranjan

The sky rocketing fuel prices have punched holes in the common man’s pocket in Odisha. The rates of the petrol and diesel were hiked again in Odisha on Monday - the twelfth time increase in the last 14 days since the end of a four-and-half-month long hiatus in rate revision.

The prices of petrol and diesel registered an increase of 43 paise and 42 paise in the State on Monday. With the latest price revision, petrol is now being sold at Rs 110.96 while diesel price has reached Rs 100.65/ litre in Bhubaneswar.

Similarly, the petrol costs Rs 111.88 per litre in Rourkela and diesel at Rs 101.63 per litre.  In Sambalpur, the prices of petrol and diesel have gone up to Rs 111.47 and 101.22 per litre respectively following the price hike.

Meanwhile, the unabated surge in fuel prices has triggered discontent among the consumers in the State.

“For a student, it has becoming increasingly difficult to ride a motorcycle these days due to surge in the fuel price,” said a Bhubaneswar resident.

Echoing similar opinion another resident of Bhubaneswar said, “I am a daily wage labourer and earn on an average Rs 600 a day. If I have to fill petrol at this price daily, then it will be very difficult to manage my other expenses.”

Notably, petrol and diesel prices were on Monday hiked by 40 paise a litre each, taking the total increase in rates in the last two weeks to Rs 8.40 per litre in the country. 

Petrol in Delhi now costs Rs 103.81 per litre as against Rs 103.41 previously, while diesel rates have gone up from Rs 94.67 per litre to Rs 95.07, according to a price notification of state fuel retailers.

Similarly in Mumbai, the petrol and diesel are now being sold at Rs 118.83 per litre (increased by 84 paise) and Rs 103.07 per litre (increased by 43 paise) respectively.

Rates have been increased across the country and vary from state to state, depending upon the incidence of local taxation.

Notably, this is the 12th increase in prices of fuel since the end of a four-and-half-month long break in rate revision on March 22.

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