Petrol, Diesel Hiked Fourth Time in 10 Days

Oil marketing companies adjusted retail prices upward once more on Monday, the fourth revision in less than a fortnight. Motorists now pay an extra ₹2.61 for every litre of petrol and ₹2.71 for diesel compared with last week. The steady climb has reignited political sparring. Congress MLA Geeta Bhukkal told IANS that repeated increases are feeding inflation at a time when many families are already struggling with elevated grocery bills. She pointed out that farmers who need diesel for irrigation pumps and transport operators who ferry produce to mandis are especially vulnerable. In addition, she noted, the higher cost of running community langars is affecting social cohesion in rural pockets. AAP leader Anurag Dhanda echoed the concern, warning that another round of hikes could push petrol past the ₹150 mark. He criticised what he termed a “death by a thousand cuts” strategy, arguing that incremental daily rises mask the true scale of the burden on low-income households. Small traders who depend on two-wheelers for last-mile deliveries are reportedly scaling back operations or absorbing losses, he added. Observers say sustained elevated fuel prices risk dampening consumption and could complicate the Reserve Bank’s inflation-targeting efforts in the months ahead.