New Delhi: Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister DharmendraPradhan said on Monday that the government was planning a ‘holistic strategy’ to find ‘long-term solution’ to a spike in petrol and diesel prices triggered by a spurt in international rates, However, he did not share any details of the strategy. Petrol and diesel prices were today hiked for the 15th day in a row, taking the cumulative increase this month to the highest in at least five years.

Petrol price has been hiked by Rs 3.64 a litre and diesel by Rs 3.24 in Delhi since state-owned oil firms ended a 19-day pre-Karnataka poll hiatus to resume daily price revision on May 14.

The prices are at an all-time high. "I have already categorically stated (on) this issue several times. The present oil price hike is due to three main factors. Hike in the international price of crude, fluctuation in the dollar and Indian currency ratio, and some of the tax issues are also there," he told reporters here.

Petrol in Delhi costs Rs 78.27 a litre and diesel is priced at Rs 69.17. Delhi has the lowest fuel price among all metros and most state capital due to lower incidence of local sales tax or VAT.

"For a long-term solution, Government of India is planning for a holistic strategy... bringing petroleum products within the ambit of GST is one among them," he said. "We are sensitive let's see how things are unfolding". Pradhan was replying to questions on when consumers can expect relief from rising fuel prices. He, however, did not elaborate on the solution or the holistic strategy.

He also refused to say if the government is planning a cut in excise duty to provide relief to consumers. The government had raised excise duty on petrol by Rs 11.77 a lire and that on diesel by 13.47 a litre in nine instalments between November 2014 and January 2016 to shore up finances as global oil prices fell, but then cut the tax just once in October last year by Rs 2 a litre.