Karnataka, the south western state in India, is the eighth largest state by population. The state is a land of many tourist destinations hence attracts many tourists from across the country every year.
Factors Affecting Diesel Rate in Karnataka
Just like in other Indian states, diesel rate in Karnataka is affected by various factors which are part of diesel pricing.
Diesel pricing includes not just the product price but a few other elements including the state and central government taxes, transportation and freight charges, dealer’s and oil company’s commission and other charges like surcharge and cess.
Of all the components, major factors that affect the diesel price in Karnataka or in any other Indian state are the international crude oil price, US dollar to rupee exchange rate, and state and central government taxes.
As the rate of the crude oil is most likely to change on a daily basis, every slight change in the crude oil price in global markets would impact the selling price of diesel in India.
Secondly, as oil trading typically happens in US dollars the change in dollar to rupee exchange rate also impacts the price of diesel.
The third component is the tax levied on diesel. To everyone’s surprise, taxes levied on diesel constitute more than 50% of its price. Which means if you are paying Rs. 60/Lt of diesel, you must be paying more than Rs. 30 to the respective state and central governments as taxes.
Other factors that could marginally impact diesel price in the state are dealer’s commission and freight charges involved in transporting the fuel to the fuel stations.
Diesel Price in Karnataka Compared to Other States
Compared to other south Indian states such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamilnadu, the state of Karnataka offers diesel at the lowest price considering the rates in the state’s capital city, Bengaluru.
The less diesel price in Karnataka is attributed to the low value added tax (VAT) charged by the state government compared to the tax charged by rest of the south Indian states governments.
State Taxes and Diesel Price in Karnataka
As discussed earlier, state taxes form a major part of the diesel price in Karnataka. Even though that state charges less tax compared to other south Indian states, VAT is one component that significantly affects diesel price in the state.
As of 5 October 2017, the Karnataka state government levies 19% VAT on diesel compared to 30.82%, the highest tax, levied in Andhra Pradesh.
How Often are Diesel Prices Revised in Karnataka?
Diesel prices in Karnataka, just like in any other Indian state, are revised on a daily basis since the dynamic fuel pricing has been introduced in India in June 2017.
Dynamic fuel pricing or daily revision of fuel prices is to ensure the retail selling price of diesel in India is in sync with the global crude oil prices. As the global crude oil prices fluctuate on a daily basis, even the slightest drop in the oil price would reach the end customer through dynamic fuel pricing. Further, it will bringing transparency in diesel pricing in India.