Oil ministry proposes hike in diesel and LPG rates

, Jan 10: The Oil Ministry has proposed Rs 3-4.50 per litre hike in

price and Rs 100 in

rates along with raising the number of subsidised cooking gas cylinders for households to nine a year from the current cap of six.

The ministry's proposal, however, is unlikely to come up at Wednesday's Cabinet meeting, sources said. The ministry has moved a note, for consideration by the Cabinet, proposing options for meeting a record Rs 1,60,000 crore deficit arising from selling auto and cooking fuels below costs.

Sources said that since the Finance Ministry has refused to bear any additional subsidy arising from raising the cap on the supply of subsidised LPG, the ministry has proposed to make up for the shortfall by raising prices. It has proposed to raise LPG rates by Rs 100 per 14.2 kg cylinder in two phases to make up for a fifth of the Rs 490.50 per bottle loss being incurred currently.

The ministry has proposed quarterly increase of Rs 50 per cylinder from April till the entire losses are wiped off.

On diesel, it has proposed Rs 3-4.50 per litre hike in one go or in monthly phases of Re 1 or Rs 1.50 per litre.

From April, it wanted Re 1 per litre increase every month till such time that the current loss of Rs 10.16 is wiped out.

Sources said the ministry has also proposed raising kerosene price by 35 paise a litre per month or Re 1 a litre per quarter till Mar 2015.

According to ministry estimates, raising the cap to nine subsidised cylinders would lower savings to Rs 2,500 crore per annum, compared to the savings of Rs 12,000 crore estimated when six cylinders are issued at subsidised rates and the rest sold at the market price.

In September, the government limited the supply of subsidised LPG cylinders to six per household in a year, leading to protests from both within the ruling alliance and outside.

Sources said the ministry's note to Cabinet is based on the recommendation of the Vijay Kelkar Committee, which was appointed by the Finance Ministry to suggest a roadmap for fiscal consolidation. The panel had recommended an immediate hike in price of diesel by Rs 4 per litre, kerosene by Rs 2 per litre and LPG by Rs 50 per cylinder.

Price of diesel, which currently costs Rs 47.15 per litre in Delhi, was last revised on Sept 14 when it was hiked by a steep Rs 5.63 per litre. Kerosene rates have not changed since Jun 2011 and it currently costs Rs 14.79 per litre in Delhi.

Subsidised LPG costs Rs 410.50 per 14.2 kg cylinder and any household requirement beyond current cap of six cylinders is to be bought at near market price of Rs 895.50 per bottle.

State-owned oil companies currently sell diesel at a loss of Rs 10.16 per litre, kerosene at Rs 32.17 a litre and LPG at Rs 490.50 per 14.2 kg cylinder.

Oil Minister M Veerappa Moily had last week stated that the government was considering raising the cap on supply of subsidised cooking gas (LPG) cylinders and that the Kelkar committee recommendations were being "processed" to be put up before the Cabinet at an appropriate time.

PTI