After break, fuel prices may begin rising once again

State-run fuel retailers have kept automobile fuel rates frozen for almost a month in a departure from the policy of aligning petrol and diesel rates daily by tactically using minor gains of falling international oil prices to offset the need for raising pump rates, three people aware of the development said.

The strategy was to stop the surging streak of fuel prices to avoid the attention of the Opposition when Parliament was in session, a government official and two company executives said, asking not to be named. As the session is now over, the oil marketing companies may gradually resume the policy of daily price revision, they added.