<div>Petrol price was cut by Rs 1.15 a litre on Thursday, 31 October, the second reduction in rates in a month, while diesel prices were raised by 50 paise per litre. Jet fuel or ATF prices were cut by a steep 4.5 per cent, the first reduction in rates in six months.<br /><br />The price changes announced by oil companies are excluding local sales tax or VAT and will be effective midnight tonight, oil companies announced.<br /><br />Petrol price in Delhi will be cut by Rs 1.38 to Rs 71.02 per litre, while it will cost Rs 78.04 a litre in Mumbai as against Rs 79.49 currently.<br /><br />The reduction comes on back of a Rs 3.05 per litre (Rs 3.66 after including VAT) cut in rates effected from October 1.<br /><br />Prior to that, petrol prices had since June risen seven times, totalling Rs 10.80 per litre, excluding VAT (Rs 13.06 after including state tax) as the rupee depreciated sharply against the rupee.<br /><br />In a parallel move, diesel price was hiked by 50 paise, excluding VAT, in line with the January decision of the government allowing oil companies freedom to raise prices in small doses every month to wipe out mounting losses.<br /><br />The diesel price in Delhi has been hiked by 56 paise to Rs 53.10 per litre while it would cost Rs 60.08 in Mumbai from tomorrow as compared to Rs 59.46 currently.<br /><br />Today's hike is the 10th since the January 17 and most of the losses on diesel sales should have been wiped out by now to make the fuel market priced. But the fall in rupee, around 25 per cent since April, has worsened the situation and losses mounted to Rs 14.50 per litre.<br /><br />However, the recent firming of rupee against US dollar and monthly increases have trimmed these losses to Rs 9.58. Diesel rates have risen by a cumulative Rs 5.95 this year.<br /><br />"Prices of petrol were last revised downwards on October 1 by Rs 3.05 per litre (excluding state taxes) on account of softening of prices in international markets as well as strengthening of the rupee.<br /><br />"Since last price change, international prices of petrol have declined marginally from about USD 113 per barrel to about USD 112. The Rupee-USD exchange rate has appreciated from around Rs 63 to a US dollar to around Rs 62. Both these factors have resulted into a reduction in prices of petrol," Indian Oil Corp, the nation's largest fuel retailer, said in a statement.<br /><br />IOC said exercising the January authorisation to increase the diesel prices within a small range every month, retail prices are being revised every month and today rates have been hiked by 50 paise per litre.<br /><br />"Even after the current increase, under recovery (revenue loss) on retail diesel shall stand at Rs 9.58 per litre," it said.<br /><br />Besides diesel, oil firms are losing Rs 35.77 per litre on sale of PDS kerosene and Rs 482.50 per 14.2-kg domestic cooking gas (LPG). These are lower than Rs 38.32 and Rs 532.50 loss incurred last month.<br /><br />At current rates, IOC projected a revenue loss of Rs 71,200 crore on sale of diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene for the full 2013-14 fiscal. The industry (IOC plus other state fuel retailers HPCL and BPCL) are projected to incur an under recovery of Rs 135,900 crore.<br /><br />"The movement of prices in international oil market and Rupee-USD exchange rate is being closely monitored and developing trends of the market will be reflected in future price changes," the statement added.<br /><br />Alongside, oil firms also cut rates of non-subsidised domestic cooking gas (LPG) that households buy after exhausting their quota of 9 subsidised or cheaper cylinders.<br /><br />Price in Delhi was reduced by Rs 49.50 per 14.2-kg bottle to Rs 954.50.<br /><br />This reduction comes on back of Rs 71.50 per cylinder hike to Rs 1,004 effected from October 1.<br /><br />Non-subsidised LPG in Mumbai will cost Rs 969 from tomorrow as compared to Rs 1,021 currently.<br /><br />Jet Fuel Prices Cut 4.5%<br />Jet fuel or ATF prices were today cut by a steep 4.5 per cent, the first reduction in rates in six months.<br /><br />ATF prices had touched a life time high of Rs 77,089.42 per kilolitre (kl) following five consecutive increases since June as rupee depreciated against the US dollar, making oil imports costlier.<br /><br />However, the rupee's appreciating during last month helped trim imported cost, leading to cut in prices.<br /><br />Aviation Turbine Fuel, or ATF, price at Delhi was cut by Rs 3,482.16 per kl, or 4.5 per cent, to Rs 73,607.26 per kl, according to Indian Oil Corp, the nation's largest fuel retailer.<br /><br />Rupee appreciation against US dollar also led to two rounds of reduction in petrol rates in one month - Rs 3.05 a litre from October 1 and Rs 1.15 announced today.<br /><br />Since June, ATF prices have gone up by a record Rs 14,439.45 or 23 per cent in five instalments.<br /><br />In Mumbai, jet fuel will cost Rs 76,035.89 per kl from tomorrow as against Rs 79,716.05 per kl currently.<br /><br />Rates at different airports vary because of difference in local sales tax or VAT.<br /><br />Jet fuel constitutes over 40 per cent of an airline's operating costs and the price cut will help bring down the fuel cost of the cash-strapped carriers.<br /><br />No immediate comments were available from the airlines on the impact of the price reduction on passenger fares.<br /><br />The three fuel retailers -- IOC, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum -- revise jet fuel prices on the 1st of every month, based on the average international price in the preceding month.<br /><br /><br />(PTI)<br /><br /> </div>
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