A political row has broken out in India about confusion over the price rises imposed on petrol and fertiliser in Monday's budget.

Prices at petrol pumps increased by about ten cents a litre -- four times more than the government said it had intended.

Motorists were aggrieved and opposition MPs immediately accused the government of duplicity.

The finance minister, Yashwant Sinha, admitted there had been some confusion between the finance and petroleum ministries.

A BBC corrrespondent in Delhi says the muddle was compounded by the government's decision to cut by half the fertiliser price increase announced in the budget.