CNG price in Delhi hiked by Rs 2.95 per kg; PNG by Re 1 per unit

CNG price in the national capital was on Friday hiked by Rs 2.95 per kg and piped cooking gas by Re 1 due to a rise in input cost.

Compressed Natural Gas, or CNG, whose price was last cut by a steep Rs 14.90 per kg in February, will cost Rs 38.15 per kg from tomorrow as against the current rate of Rs 35.20.

Rates of piped natural gas (PNG) that households use for cooking was hiked by Re 1 per standard cubic meters (scm).

The new consumer price of PNG to households in Delhi has been revised from Rs 24.50 per scm to Rs 25.50 per scm up to consumption of 36 scm in two months.

Beyond consumption of 36 scm in two months, the applicable rate in Delhi would be Rs 48 per scm.

Due to differential tax structure in Uttar Pradesh, CNG will cost Rs 43.50 in neighbouring Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad, Indraprastha Gas Ltd, the sole supplier of CNG and PNG in national capital region, said.

PNG to households in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad would cost Rs 27.30 per scm for consumption of 36 scm in two months, up from existing Rs 26.20 per scm.

Beyond consumption of 36 scm in two months, the rate applicable in these cities would be Rs 48.75 per scm, IGL said in a statement.

"We are constrained to revise the retail price of CNG and PNG mainly due to increase in the overall input cost of natural gas being sourced by us. Since there has been no change in the domestic gas allocation to IGL and is expected to remain at existing level in the near future as well, the increase in gas consumption is being met through higher priced imported LNG," IGL said.

The price of CNG was last hiked on December 27, 2013 when it was raised by Rs 4.50 per kg.

Also, the price of cooking gas piped to kitchens (PNG) was also increased by Rs 5.15.

This was followed by a steep cut of Rs 14.90 per kg in CNG rates and Rs 5 per unit in PNG prices as government increased allocation of cheaper domestic gas to IGL.

IGL said in addition to hike in input gas price, there has also been an increase in the operating expenses like minimum wages as well as rise in power tariff.

However, this increase would not have a major impact on the per km running cost of vehicles, it claimed.

For autos, the increase would be 8 paise per km, for taxi it would be 13 paise per km and in case of buses, the increase would be 80 paise per km, which translates to just over one paisa per passenger - km.

"Even with the revised price, CNG would offer over 61 per cent savings towards the running cost when compared to petrol driven vehicles at the current level of prices in Delhi. When compared to diesel driven vehicles, the economics in favour of CNG at revised price would be over 31 per cent in Delhi," the statement added.