crossing that level in more than oneandahalf dozen statesthe total increase in petrol price since the may 5 2020 decision of the government to raise excise duty to record levels now totals rs 3738 per litre diesel rates have during this period gone up by rs 2798 per litrethe government had raised excise duty on petrol and diesel to mop up gains that would have otherwise accrued to consumers from international oil prices crashing to as low as 19 per barrelpetrol and diesel as well as cooking gas and kerosene were sold at subsidised rates during the previous congressled upa government instead of paying for the subsidy to bring parity between the artificially suppressed retail selling price and the cost that had soared because of international rates crossing 100 per barrel the then government issued oil bonds totalling rs 134 lakh crore to the statefuel retailersthese oil bonds and the interest thereon are being paid nowof the rs 134 lakh crore of oil bonds only rs 3500 crore of principal has been paid and the remaining rs 13 lakh crore is due for repayment between this fiscal and 202526 according to information made available by the finance ministrythe government has to repay rs 10000 crore this fiscal year 202122 another rs 31150 crore is due to be repaid in 202324 rs 5286017 crore in the following year and rs 36913 crore in 202526minister of state for petroleum and natural gas rameswar teli had in july told parliament that the union governments tax collections on petrol and diesel jumped by 88 per cent to rs 335 lakh crore in the year to march 31 2021 202021 fiscal from rs 178 lakh crore a year backexcise collection in prepandemic 201819 was rs 213 lakh crore