On 27 October 2026 the Ministry of Energy’s Petroleum Division, via OGRA, lifted the ex‑depot price of Motor Spirit by Rs 1.54 to Rs 379.25 per litre and High‑Speed Diesel by Rs 2.16 to Rs 395.82 per litre. The official release blames “global events including changes in Platts rates, premiums, incidentals etc.” yet offers no data to prove that world oil markets have moved enough to justify the hike. The absence of any cost breakdown turns a policy decision into a blunt, unexplained levy on the public.
Hard‑won rupees evaporate
A commuter covering 30 km a day burns roughly 2.5 litres of petrol each day. At the new rate that adds about Rs 460 to his monthly budget. A three‑wheeler rickshaw operator, already coping with soaring maintenance bills, faces an extra Rs 650 a month for diesel. Those figures are not abstract; they decide whether a family can afford a school uniform or a week’s groceries.
