The upward climb in fuel prices in Assam continued unabated on Sunday, burning a hole in the pockets of the common people, whose monthly budget is already reeling under the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Petrol breached the 100-rupee-mark in a few of the districts in Assam while petrol is about to hit a century in other parts of the state. Premium quality petrol was being sold at Rs 100-Rs 103 per litre in places like Dibrugarh in upper Assam, Nagaon in central Assam, Nalbari in lower Assam and Silchar and Karimganj in Barak valley whereas regular petrol was being sold at Rs 95-Rs 99 across the state.
In the state’s capital city, premium petrol was priced at Rs 99.54 rupees per litre on Sunday while regular petrol was at Rs 95.27 rupees per litre.
A litre of diesel was selling for Rs 88.68 in Guwahati, the biggest city in northeast India, while diesel was priced at Rs 89.45 per litre in Dibrugarh, Rs 89.80 in Darrang, Rs 89.42 in Silchar and Rs 89.19 in Nalbari.
The prices of petrol and diesel were hiked 16 times in June and two times in the first four days of July.
The trend of price hikes was paused in March and April, just after the election dates for five states – Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry — were announced in February. Instead, prices were reduced three times in March and once in April. Prices were hiked again in May for 16 times. On July 2, petrol and diesel saw another hike, amounting to a total of 59 hikes in just six months this year.
The spiralling increase in fuel price, as well as kitchen essentials, has hammered the people when the entire country has faced a severe economic crisis due to back to back hits of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Uncontrolled prices of fuel and kitchen essentials have drawn criticism from both the political and apolitical spectrum of society.
People have urged the government to take steps to control the price hike in view of the economic crisis due to the pandemic.