Government hikes excise duty on petrol, diesel by Rs 2 per litre

New Delhi: India raised factory gate duties on petrol and diesel by 2 rupees a litre each on Friday, two private news channels reported, the fourth since the government lifted diesel price controls in October.

The government has raised the duties to cash in on lower world oil prices to bolster government finances without stoking inflation.

India last raised excise duties on petrol and diesel on January 1 to fund infrastructure projects in the current and next fiscal years.