Soaring petrol and diesel costs are likely to sharpen focus on high fuel taxes when the parliamentary standing committee on petroleum examines the pricing policy on Thursday, reports. Petrol is selling for more than Rs 100 in seven states and nearing the mark in others. Diesel has hit a century in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, and ruling around Rs 95 a litre in other states. The governemnt blames a 27% increase in India's crude purchase cost, from an average of 55 barrel in January on Tuesday, for the record pump prices. Crude is indeed a factor. But petrol and diesel prices are set according to their international prices and the rupee-dollar exchange rate. The taxes make all the difference for consumers at the pump. Consider The dealer price in petrol in Delhi, considered the reference market, has risen by Rs 7.49 from Rs 28.50 litre in January. This is because the Centre and states raised taxes sharply between March and May last year when oil prices collapsed due to the pandemic. Delhi has had comparatively salubrious weather this year, with only a single heat-wave day so far the fewest since 2011 when one heatwave day recorded was on March 29. With the rainy season around the corner, meterological officials say another heatwave day is unlikely now in 2021. A heatwave, in India meteorological department definition, is when the maximum temperature is at least 40 degrees Celsius and 4.5 degrees or more higher than normal temperature or the maximum touches 45 degrees Celsuis in a meterological region. The data shows that March recorded Celsius eight degrees above normal. After IMD classified this as a 'severe' heatwave day. Delhi hasn't logged another heatwave day since. In April, the highest maximum recorded was 42.2 degrees Celsius on April 28 four above normal.
