Natural Gas Prices Hiked By 12.13%

The government has raised consumer prices of natural gas by 12.13 per cent for January-March 1998 in step with a rise in global oil prices.

According to a press release issued by the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) yesterday, gas-based fertiliser and power plants fed by the Hazira-Bijapur-Jagdishpur (HBJ) pipeline will now have to pay Rs 2,411 per 1000 standard cubic metre (scm) of gas against Rs 2,150 per 1000 scm in the last quarter.

The natural gas prices for consumers other than those on the HBJ pipeline system and other than those in north-eastern states have also gone up from Rs 2,150 per 1000 scm to Rs 2,411 per 1000 scm. The price holds for natural gas of a calorific value of 10,000 kilo calories per scm and consumers will be compensated for supplies of lower specifications.

The north-east will be supplied natural gas at a concessional rate of Rs 1315 per 1000 scm against Rs 1200 per 1000 scm in the last quarter an increase of 9.58 per cent.

The producer price has been raised from Rs 1800 per 1000 scm to Rs 2003 per 1000 scm.

The HBJ transportation charges by GAIL have remained unchanged at Rs 1150 per 1000 SCM at 8,500 Kcal per scm. There are seven fertiliser and five power plants on the HBJ pipeline. The fertiliser plants are IFFCOs plant at Aonla, Indo-Gulfs Jagdishpur, NFLs Vijaipur, GSFCs Kawas, Chambal Fertilisers Gadepan, Bindal Agros Shahjahanpur and Tatas Babrala plants.