NEW DELHI: With the thirteenth revision in the fuel prices in fifteen days, petrol and diesel rates have gone up by 80 paise each on Tuesday. With this, the total increase in fuel rates is now Rs 9.20 per litre.

Petrol and diesel in Delhi now cost Rs 104.61 and Rs 95.87 per litre respectively. While in Mumbai, petrol cost Rs 119.67 per litre after an increase of 84 paise and diesel at Rs 103.92, increased by 85 paise.

Notably, the price of CNG was increased by Rs 2.5 per kg yesterday. With the new price, CNG costs Rs 64.11 per Kg in the national capital.

The increase in prices has also created a political uproar as the Opposition has been staging protests and demanding a decrease in fuel prices.

The Rajya Sabha was on Monday adjourned for the day following repeated disruptions over rising prices of petroleum products and essential commodities with the Opposition protesting on the issue as their demand to hold a discussion on the matter was rejected.

DMK member Tiruchi Siva had raised a point of order, asking “why the notices given by us under Rule 267 to the Secretary-General to suspend all business of the House and conduct a discussion on hiking oil prices and many other notices were rejected”.

There had been a pause in the revision of fuel prices since November 4 last year, which ended on March 22, following the crude oil prices going upwards in the wake of the Russian military operations in Ukraine.

Prices are set to be raised further given the sharp jump in crude oil prices in the international markets. It will have a cascading impact on the prices of other items and lead to inflationary pressure and hurt growth while also impacting the prices of other items.

Meanwhile, Congress is holding a nationwide protest campaign ‘Mehngai Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’ against price rises under which it is organising rallies and marches across the country from March 31 to April 7.

Notably, on November 3 last year, the Centre had cut excise duty by Rs 5 per litre on petrol and Rs 10 per litre on diesel to bring down the retail prices across the country.

Following this, several state governments had reduced Value-Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel to provide relief to people.

KOCHI: It has been over a month since the COVID cases started declining noticeably in the state in the third wave. Though the numbers have come down, post-COVID issues are still making many ill. According to experts, non-serious and persistent symptoms are being exhibited by people who have recovered from COVID.

These persistent symptoms in recovered patients occur irrespective of age but are seen mostly affecting youngsters, especially in the age group of 30-45 years. “Youngsters are the most affected in the third wave. In certain cases, patients develop symptoms after two weeks of infection. They will not have any symptoms during the period of infection but only during the recuperating time,” said Dr Mathew George, a general physician based in Alappuzha.

“Though the severity of infection due to the Omicron variant was way less compared to the earlier two waves, post COVID-issues should not be neglected. Recurrent headache, nasal issues including nose blockage and sinus are triggered among those facing with allergy issues mainly. In the case of some, these symptoms will subside only gradually,” said Dr Praveen.

However, in the case of those with comorbidities, it is better to consult a doctor if they have persistent post-COVID symptoms, he added. However, experts also believe that the fight against COVID is far from over.

The rise in the COVID cases across the world including China, Israel and European countries hints at the advent of the fourth wave, they say. 

NEW DELHI: The State-run oil marketing companies on Monday raised key transport fuel prices for the 12th time in the last 14 days.

On Monday, the price of petrol and diesel in New Delhi were increased again by 40 paise per litre. As per pump prices, petrol now costs Rs 103.81 per litre and diesel Rs 95.07 per litre in the national capital.

In the financial capital Mumbai, prices were hiked to Rs 118.83 per litre for petrol and diesel to Rs 103.07 per litre.

Besides, the prices of both the transport fuels were raised in Kolkata. The petrol prices rose to Rs 113.45 and diesel to Rs 98.22 per litre.

In Chennai too, they were increased and petrol there now costs Rs 109.34 and diesel Rs 99.42 per litre.

Till last Tuesday, fuel prices were steady since November 2021 when the Centre reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 10 per litre, respectively.

The OMCs revised the transportation fuel cost based on various factors such as rupee to US dollar exchange rate, cost of crude oil and demand of fuel amongst others.

Resultantly, the final price includes excise duty, value added tax and dealer’s commission. It was widely expected that the OMCs will revise the current prices due to high crude oil cost.

Lately, crude oil prices have been volatile on fears of tight supplies due to sanctions against Russia. The crude oil price range is a cause of concern for India as it may ultimately add Rs 10-15 in petrol and diesel selling prices. At present, India imports nearly 85 per cent of its crude oil requirements.

NEW DELHI:  Stating that the entire nation is with Kashmiri Pandits, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said they would return to their Valley homes soon. Virtually addressing the Navreh (Kashmiri New year) celebration in Kashmir, Bhagwat said the government is working for creating a conducive atmosphere for the migrant Pandits. 

“The time has come for fulfilling the pledge of returning (Pandits) to their native homes in the Kashmir Valley. Pandits live in different countries despite the fact that Kashmir is an integral part of India. We can live anywhere but we cannot forget our homeland,” he said.

Speaking about The Kashmir Files movie, the RSS chief said the film highlighted the “plight of Kashmiri Pandits” and “spread awareness throughout the world about the Kashmiri Hindu community”. “Why we had to be displaced from Kashmir time and again? Whatever our shortcomings may have been, the reason for this is the bigotry of a particular class. And we have the remedy for this bigotry. If we can stay there, we will put an end to the poison of this bigotry,” he said, asserting that the removal of Article 370 has paved the way for the return of Pandits.

“Article 370 has been abrogated by our efforts, and this has paved way for our return to our homeland,” Bhagwat said, adding that the Pandits will be at their home by next year. Referring to the Jews creating the Israeli nation, Bhagwat said: “Ignominy of being refugees in own country has to be surpassed with Sankalp. Jews for 1,800 years kept their fire alive and attained their goal in the last 100 years,” he said. 
Efforts are on to make the Pandits live peacefully with their neighbours like they used to before, he said.

JAIPUR: High tension and an eerie silence prevailed in Karauli city of Rajasthan on Sunday where curfew has been imposed since communal clashes erupted on Saturday evening. Tension arose between two communities in Ajmer’s Beawar city over the murder of a youth on the eve of the Hindu new year celebrations. While the situation remains tense, politics over the clashes has intensified sharply and the government and the opposition are blaming each other for the incidents that have sparked off communal tensions. 

In Karauli, curfew remains in force since communal clashes erupted on Saturday evening. People remain locked in their homes since communal tensions erupted due to stone pelting on a bike rally of Hindu extremist organisations who were celebrating the Hindu new year in a Muslim locality of Karauli. The incident left dozens of people injured and vehicles and shops were set on fire leading to a curfew. In the violence that broke out miscreants ransacked and set fire to more than 35 shops and two dozen vehicles. After this, District Collector Rajendra Singh Shekhawat imposed curfew in the city which will remain in force till April 4.  

CM Ashok Gehlot has blamed the BJP for the incidents in Karauli on Saturday and Beawar on Sunday. Talking to the media in Barmer,  CM Ashok Gehlot attributed the mobilization on religious grounds as the reason behind the Karauli incident.  While targeting the Centre, the Yogi government and BJP in UP, Gehlot said, “their approach to governance does not get attention.”