Rising oil prices and the reluctance on the part of the government to cut taxes are two factors responsible for the certain spike in auto fuel injection molding screw head and ring prices.47 a barrel level in September 2013.Even though crude oil prices are rising again, they are still well off the highs of September 2013, when retail prices were at all-time highs.The government’s reluctance to cut excise duty on petrol and diesel has become a bigger worry for auto fuel consumers.Prices of petrol and diesel rose to all-time high levels in the last week of May this year after oil companies resumed daily price hikes of the two products post Karnataka assembly elections.“But prices are rising now with expectation that it could even breach $100 a barrel post-November 24 when energy sanctions on Iran kick in. With rising inflation and slowing factory output, revenue from the oil sector is key for the centre and states. If this is not the right time for excise duty cut on petrol and diesel, then one fails to understand what would be one,” said a former oil secretary asking not to be named.“This is insane as the government is letting consumers suffer even though it has pocketed higher revenue from the sector with the understanding that this will come to their rescue when oil prices rise.“The need of the hour is to immediately cut excise duty on petrol and diesel not by mere Rs 2 per litre as was done on October 3, but to provide full relief to consumers by effecting a Rs 4 per litre cut in duties. This could take petrol and diesel prices to new highs with the auto fuel even breaching Rs 100 a litre mark,” said an oil sector analyst, who did not wish to be named as he was still completing his calculations. This would take oil import bill to about $140 billion in FY19, up from $88 billion in FY18.61 a litre in Delhi. Going by the price rise of up to 20 paisa per day over the last week, petrol would breach record high level of Rs 78. It has been reduced only once -- in October, 2017 -- by Rs 2 a litre.
The BJP-led NDA government has increased basic excise duty on petrol and diesel nine times ever since it came to power (between November 2014 and January 2016) that more than doubled government's excise mop-up to Rs 2,42,000 crore in 2016-17 from Rs 99,000 crore in 2014-15.06 a litre in Delhi) in May this year when crude oil prices were around $80 a barrel. At that time, the price of the Indian basket of crude oil had shot up to $110 per barrel, almost 44 per cent more than what it is today. During elections, oil marketing companies kept petrol and diesel prices untouched for a record 19 days.31 a litre, again recorded on May 29. Rising oil prices and the reluctance on the part of the government to cut taxes are two factors responsible for the certain spike in auto fuel prices.61 a litre now.Diesel likely to breach psychological mark of Rs 70 per litre soon in Delhi.As per government estimates, India's import bill could rise by up to $50 billion, impacting the current account deficit severely, if the present surge in oil is maintained.33 a litre in Mumbai, would easily cross Rs 100 a litre mark, making history.Petrol breached its previous all-time high level recorded on September 14, 2013 (when it stood at Rs 76. The price of benchmark Brent crude was hovering over $75 a barrel, while the Indian basket was just a tad lower at $73 a barrel last month.In February, the government reduced basic and additional excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 8 per litre but re-imposed a new road cess of Rs 8 per litre, negating any advantage. Interestingly, crude oil was at $109. In all, duty on petrol was hiked by Rs 11.