CNG, cooking gas prices hiked by Rs 3 per kg in Delhi ahead of Diwali

For Noida, Greater Noida, and Ghaziabad, the CNG price has been hiked to Rs 81.17 per kg. In Gurugram, CNG will now cost Rs 86.94 per kg. This is the 14th increase in price since March 7. Rates were last increased by Rs 2 per kg on May 21. In all, the CNG price has risen by Rs 22.60 per kg during this period. Since April 2021, CNG prices have increased by Rs 35.21 per kg or 80 per cent, according to data compiled by PTI. With this, we can expect cab fares and autorickshaw fares to further go up.

IGL hikes the price of Domestic Piped Natural Gas (PNG) in Delhi to Rs 53.59 per SCM. The new price will come into effect from tomorrow, October 8th.

In other nearby places too, clean gas prices have gone up. The price of CNG has gone up to Rs 86.94 in Gurugram, Rs 89.07 in Rewari, Rs 87.27 in Karnal, Rs 85.84 in Muzaffarnagar and Rs 89.81 in Kanpur.

Earlier this week, Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) also increased the price of CNG by Rs 6 per kg. Because of that, CNG prices have increased in Mumbai and surrounding areas.

The piped gas prices in Delhi have gone up to 53.59 per standard cubic meter (SCM). In Noida, Greater Noida, and Ghaziabad, the prices have climbed to 53.46, in Muzaffarnagar, Shamli and Meerut the prices have reached 56.97 per standard cubic meter. The rates are at Rs 59.23 in Ajmer, Pali, and Rajsamand in Rajasthan. Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur, Fatehpur and Hamirpur these prices have been reduced to 56.10.

It is the 10th increase in PNG rates since August 2021. In all, the prices have gone up by Rs 29.93 per SCM, or almost 91 per cent.

The price increase follows the government raising natural gas prices by 40 per cent to a record $8.57 per million British thermal units from October 1.

Natural gas, which is extracted from below earth's surface, is converted to compressed natural gas (CNG) for running automobiles and piped to household kitchens for cooking. It is also used to generate electricity and manufacture fertilizer.

Natural gas prices are up nearly 5x in just a year - from USD 1.79 per mmBtu till September 2021 to $8.57 now. As per analysts, CNG prices are likely to be hiked by Rs 8-12 per kg and PNG rates by over Rs 6, but in tranches.