LPG rates hiked, diesel prices at record high
Petrol too becomes dearer with steepest daily increase in weeks
Cooking gas prices were hiked by Rs15 per cylinder yesterday while petrol and diesel rates saw their steepest increase in recent weeks, pushing prices to all-time high levels across the country.
Rates of both subsidised and non-subsidised LPG were hiked, taking the total increase in rates since July to Rs90 per 14.2-kg cylinder. Cooking gas now costs Rs899.50 (Dh44) per cylinder in Delhi and Mumbai, and Rs926 in Kolkata, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers.
No subsidies
The government has, through periodic increases, eliminated subsidies on LPG in most cities. Domestic household kitchens, who are entitled to 12 cylinders of 14.2-kg each at subsidised
rates in a year, and Ujjwala beneficiaries, who got free connections, now pay the market price.
A 5-kg LPG cylinder now costs Rs502. This is the fourth increase in LPG prices since July. Rates were increased by Rs25.50 per cylinder in July, followed by Rs25 hike each on
Aug. 17 and Sept 1.
Alongside, petrol price was increased by 30 paise per litre and diesel by 35 paise a litre.
This is the steepest daily increase in recent weeks and follows international oil prices touching a seven-year high.
The petrol price in Delhi rose to its highest-ever level of Rs102.94 a litre and to Rs108.96 in Mumbai, the notification showed. Diesel rates too touched a record high of Rs91.42 in New Delhi and Rs99.17 per litre in Mumbai. Prices differ from state to state depending on local taxes.
The seventh increase in fuel rates since the ending of a nearly three-week hiatus has sent petrol prices above Rs100 a litre in most major cities of the country.
Similarly, the tenth increase in prices has sent diesel rates above Rs100 mark in several cities in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.