Bowing to public pressure, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced a Rs 8 per litre cut in excise duty on petrol and Rs 6 a litre on diesel to avoid increase in fuel prices
The minister also informed the house that fuel prices have gone up by over 50% in many countries but have remained stable and risen by a mere 5% in India during the pandemic
Oil marketing companies have kept the prices of diesel and petrol unchanged across major Indian cities since November 3, when the Centre and some states reduced duties on them.