Less than two months after raising fuel prices by a whopping Rs 5 per litre, the State-owned oil companies are pressing for a Rs 1.82 per litre increase in petrol prices. Oil company officials say this is because of rupee depreciation and hardening of crude oil prices. They also say that the hike may happen as early as this fortnight itself. Public sector oil firms had in September raised petrol prices by Rs 5 per litre. "From today, there are some losses on petrol. To cover them, we may have to increase prices," HPCL Director (Finance) B Mukherjee told reporters. He said that crude oil is hovering at around USD 108 per barrel in international markets, while the rupee has depreciated from Rs 46.50 a dollar three months ago to over Rs 49 per dollar now, increasing the cost of oil imports. Mukherjee said the loss on petrol is currently Rs 1.50 per litre and after including local levies, the desired increase in retail prices is Rs 1.82 per litre. "We are in discussion with other oil companies on raising prices. Let's say, we are toying with the idea," he said, refusing to say when the country's fuel prices would be raised.

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