New Delhi : CNG price hiked by Rs 2.5 kg and PNG by Rs 4.25 per unit, auto-cab drivers to go on strike
The prices of CNG and PNG have increased again in the national capital Delhi and surrounding cities. On Thursday, the price of CNG rose by Rs 2.50 per kg and piped cooking gas (PNG) to households rose by Rs 4.25 per unit to a record high. Fuel prices have increased after the increase in the cost of raw materials.
According to the information available on the website of Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL), CNG will now be available at Rs 71.61 a kg in the national capital, as against Rs 69.11 a kg earlier. The company retails CNG and PNG in Delhi and nearby cities. Fuel prices have increased for the third time this month and for the 11th time since March 7.
Overall, the price of CNG has gone up by Rs 15.6 a kg in less than six weeks. Out of this, an increase of Rs 7.5 per kg has happened this month. In the last one year, the price of CNG has increased by 28.21 per kg i.e. 60 percent. With this, the price of PNG has increased by Rs 4.25 per cubic meter (SCM) to Rs 45.86 SCM.
Gas distribution companies in cities have been increasing the price since October last year. Since then, with the revival in the global economies affected by the pandemic, gas prices started rising both domestically and internationally.
Prices increased by Rs 8.74 a kg in the last three months of 2021. Whereas from January this year, there has been an increase of about 50 paise almost every week. Prices have increased after the government more than doubled the price of natural gas to $ 6.1 per million British thermal units (unit) from April 1. When natural gas is ‘compressed’, it becomes CNG, which is used as a fuel in vehicles. The same gas is piped to kitchens and industries for cooking and other purposes. Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) on Wednesday increased the price of ‘Compressed Natural Gas’ (CNG) by Rs 5 per kg in Mumbai to Rs 72. Along with this, the price of PNG was increased by Rs 4.50 to Rs 45.50 per cubic meter. Before the latest price hike, CNG was being sold by Mahanagar Gas Limited at Rs 67 per kg since April 6, while the price of PNG was Rs 41.50 per cubic metre.
Mahanagar Gas Limited had on March 31 reduced the retail prices of CNG by Rs 6 per kg and for PNG by Rs 3.50, when the state government reduced VAT on these fuels to 3 per cent from 13.5 per cent with effect from April 1. Fuel prices vary in different cities due to local taxes.
Before the increase in the price of CNG, petrol and diesel have increased by Rs 10 per liter in 16 days. Apart from this, the price of LPG used in cooking has increased by Rs 50 per cylinder. After this, the price of petrol in the national capital Delhi has crossed Rs 105 on Wednesday and in the financial capital of the country its price has crossed Rs 120.
According to IGL, the price of CNG will now be Rs 74.61 per kg in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad. In Gurgaon, it will be available for Rs 79.94 per kg. PNG will now cost Rs 45.96 in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad and Rs 44.06 per cubic meter in Gurgaon.
Auto-cab drivers will go on strike from April 18
In the wake of the recent hike of Rs 2.5 in CNG prices, members of auto, taxi and cab drivers’ associations on Thursday warned the administration that they would go on strike from April 18 to press their demand for subsidy on gas price. On April 11, auto, taxi and cab drivers protested outside the Delhi Secretariat demanding subsidy on CNG price. This demonstration was done under the banner of Delhi Auto Rickshaw Association.
Delhi Auto Association general secretary Rajendra Soni said that their protest against the policies of the Center and Delhi government will continue and they will go on strike from April 18. Elaborating on the impact on his business due to fuel price hike, Soni said, “The price of CNG is increasing every day and we are demanding that the government should give us a subsidy of Rs 35 per kg.” Soni alleged that in the last seven years, the Delhi government never called a meeting of the members of the Auto Rickshaw Association.
He said, ‘We wrote to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, but did not get any reply from his office. In such a situation, whom should we meet with these problems? Neither the Chief Minister nor any leader of the government is ready to talk to us. Ravi Rathod, President, Sarvodaya Drivers Welfare Association, said, “The continuous price hike in CNG is burning a hole in our pockets. We protested on April 8 and 11, but the government is sitting silent and has not called us for talks till now. We will do chakka jam on April 18.
