CNG Prices Hiked For Third Time In April, Up By Rs 2.5 Per Kg. Cooking Gas Rates Also Up

Prices of compressed natural gas (CNG) in the national capital on Thursday were hiked by Rs 2.50 per kg and that of piped cooking gas by Rs 4.25 per unit to record levels on the back of surge in raw material cost.

CNG in the national capital territory of Delhi now costs Rs 71.61 per kg, up from Rs 69.11 per kg, according to the information posted on the website of Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL) -- the firm which retails CNG and piped cooking gas in the national capital and adjoining cities.

This is the third price hike this month and the 11th since March 7.

In all, the CNG price has risen by Rs 15.6 per kg in less than six weeks. This includes a Rs 7.50 per kg hike in this month alone.

In the last one year, prices have increased by Rs 28.21 per kg or 60 per cent.

Alongside, the rates of gas piped to household kitchens, called piped natural gas (PNG), were hiked by Rs 4.25 per cubic meters to cost Rs 45.86 per scm.

City gas distributors have been periodically raising prices since October last year when domestic as well as international gas prices started to climb as economies world over recovered from the pandemic-induced slowdown.

Prices rose by Rs 8.74 per kg in the last three months of 2021, and from January there was a steady increase of about 50 paise a kg almost every week.

The rates have gone up after the government more than doubled the price of natural gas to USD 6.1 per million British thermal unit from April 1.

Natural gas when compressed becomes CNG for use as fuel in automobiles. The same gas is piped to household kitchens and industries for cooking and other purposes.

On Wednesday, Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) raised Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) price by Rs 5 per kg to Rs 72 per kg in Mumbai. It also raised PNG price by Rs 4.50 to Rs 45.50 per scm.

Prices vary from city to city depending on the incidence of local taxes such as VAT.

The increase in CNG prices follows a Rs 10 per litre hike in petrol and diesel prices in 16 days and a Rs 50 per cylinder raise in the cooking gas LPG rates.