Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has directed Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) to withdraw its latest decision of hiking the price of petroleum products.

Talking to mediapersons after the meeting of the Council of Ministers today, Minister for Communications and Information Technology and government spokesperson Rekha Sharma said the Prime Minister has already directed the NOC to take back the price hike.

"The Prime Minister has directed the Nepal Oil Corporation to withdraw its decision of raising the price of petroleum products effective from today itself. Although the Corporation has adopted the automated pricing system, the PM issued this directive keeping in mind the problems this (the decision to hike price) would create to the people during the festival time," she said.

The government spokesperson said that the NOC will issue a notice today itself retaining the earlier price of petroleum products.

NOC on Saturday hiked the price of petrol and diesel by Rs 6 per liter, of kerosene by Rs 2 per liter and aviation fuel (both domestic and international) by Rs 8 per liter.

Similarly, the price of LP Gas was increased by Rs 215 per cylinder.