Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) on Saturday announced revision in prices of compressed natural gas (CNG) and piped natural gas (PNG) in Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad.

This would mean a consumer would have to pay Rs 3.70 per kg more for CNG in Delhi and Rs 4.20 per kg in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad. The price of CNG would be Rs 45.60 per kg in Delhi and Rs 51.55 per kg in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad. This would be effective from Saturday midnight.

The hike is because of recent weakening of rupee vis-à-vis dollar, said IGL.

The new consumer price of PNG to the households in Delhi is also being revised from Rs 24.50 per standard cubic meters (scm) to Rs 27.50 per scm up to consumption of 30 scm in two months with effect from September 8. Beyond consumption of 30 scm in two months, the applicable rate in Delhi would be Rs 47.50 per scm.

Due to differential tax structure in the state of Uttar Pradesh, the applicable price of domestic PNG to households in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad would be Rs 29 per scm upto consumption of 30 scm in two months, which has been increased from existing Rs 26 per scm. Beyond consumption of 30 scm in two months, the rate applicable in these cities would be Rs 49.70 per scm.

Explaining the compulsions leading to the revision in the prices, IGL said, “The recent steep appreciation of the dollar vis-à-vis rupee in the last one month has resulted in major increase in our input cost of gas, which has necessitated the increase in retail prices of CNG and PNG”.

There has been an extremely sharp depreciation of the rupee vis-a-vis dollar in the last one month. The base price of natural gas being procured by IGL from all its sources is dollar linked thereby making the entire input price totally dependent on price of dollar vis-à-vis rupee.

However, IGL said that this increase would not have a major impact on the per km running cost of vehicles. For autos, the increase would be 11 paisa per km, for taxis it would be 18 paisa per km and in case of buses, the increase would be Rs 1.05 per km, which translates to nearly two paisa per passenger - km.

>Siddhartha.s@thehindu.co.in

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