NEW DELHI: Petrol price was today cut by Rs 2.42 per litre and diesel by Rs 2.25 a litre after an excise duty hike limited the benefit of global crude prices slumping to six-year low.

The reduction would have been almost double but for the government also raising excise duty by Rs 2 per litre on both petrol and diesel today.

This is the ninth straight reduction in petrol prices since August, and fifth in diesel since October.

New rates will be effective midnight tonight, Indian Oil Corp, the nation's largest fuel retailer, announced here.

READ ALSO: Petrol, diesel rates cut by Rs 2/litre

In Delhi, petrol will cost Rs 58.91 a litre, the lowest in 44 months, as compared to Rs 61.33 a litre now. Similarly, diesel will cost Rs 48.26 a litre in Delhi, the lowest since April 2013, as against Rs 50.51 currently.

This is the fourth hike in excise duty since November and cumulatively customers have been denied the benefit of Rs 7.75 per litre reduction in petrol and Rs 6.50 a litre cut in diesel rates that was warranted due to the slump in oil price to $46 per barrel.

A Finance Ministry notification said the excise duty on unbranded petrol is being hiked to Rs 8.95 per litre and that on unbranded diesel to Rs 7.96 per litre.

The four excise duty hikes will result in about Rs 20,000 crore in additional revenue this fiscal and will help the government meet its fiscal deficit target of 4.1 per cent of the GDP.

READ ALSO: Govt raises factory gate duties on petrol, diesel

Petrol and diesel prices were last cut on December 16 by Rs 2 per litre each.

Including today's reduction, petrol price have been cut by Rs 14.69 per litre on a cumulative basis since August, while diesel rates in five downward revisions have been slashed by a total of Rs 10.71 a litre.

Crude oil price in June was at $115 per barrel.

Read this in Hindi: पेट्रोल और डीजल की कीमत घटी, उत्पाद शुल्क बढ़ा

