When petrol was sold at 72 paise per litre in India

The unabated rise in fuel (petrol and diesel) prices has become a major reason of concern for consumers across the country. While per litre petrol is now sold between Rs 96 and Rs 108, diesel is sold between Rs 94 and Rs 100.

There are several reasons behind the increasing prices of fuel. But, currently, the price has reached a spine-breaking level which is ultimately burning the pockets of consumers.

Though the price of petrol is high since a few years now, do you know what its price was a few decades back? 

Believe it or not, petrol was sold at 72 paisa per litre in 1963. A fuel bill has gone viral on social media now in which a person is showing a picture of the fuel bill which was issued on February 2, 1963. 

The cash memo is from Bharat Petrol Supply Co, a filling station bearing the serial number ‘7560’.

The total billing amount is Rs 3.60 for five litre of petrol, which means one litre of petrol cost was only 72 paisa.

Petrol Price in 1963

Netizens have also shared some interesting facts related to inflation, fuel price rise, and per capita income of Indians and compared the same with the figures of the 1950s and 60s.

“In 1950, the per capita income of average Indian was Rs 265, and it has increased to Rs 1,28,829 in 2020-21. How about you pin this comment and give complete information?” wrote one user.

Another user wrote, “In 1966 ₹8 = $1, now in 2023 ₹80=$1, Now we compare crude oil per barrel, In 1960s crude was $1.9/barrel, In 2023 its about $100/barrel, But we India are only getting crude oil from Russia for below $50/barrel, So by considering all the terms we can draw conclusion due to inflation, fall of rupee value, huge demand in crude oils its fair pricing in India.”

“In 60s salary of middle class was around 50-100 rupees.. and today that salary is around 50k to 100k.. fall of rupee was due to heavy imports and very little export done for so long...” wrote a third user.